


A Vision of Midnight's Moonrise

by FireAlder2005



Series: A Vision of A.... [4]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: ASHFUR BASHING, Alder is a fan boi, All hail the queen of drama: Squirrelpaw, Book Series: The New Prophecy, Bramble points out the obvious to Squirrel, BrambleSquirrel, Can't wait until I can go all out, Canon Divergence - Book Series: The New Prophecy, Canon Rewrite, Crowpaw is constantly triggered, Dustpelt is Gandalf, F/M, Fire & Ice mess around like the kids they are, Firestar: Mediator Extrodinaire, FrogShade, Frogspeck is great!, He don't like dat, He needs his Leafpool, I know he does, I'm going for it, Ice Shade and Stone mess around, Jay is an empath, LeafCrow, Leafpaw is curious about Jay, Lightningfur is the match-making aunt, Like a Wrecking Ball, RiverClan (Warriors), Shade steals Ice's squirrel, Shadecloud gives a TED talk, ShadowClan (Warriors), She don't think dats funny, She ships her niece and her brother's former apprentice, Ships:, StarClan (Warriors), StormBrook, Tadpole and Ruby, Tawnypelt's replacement has been found, Thank you Karlys Ah for that hilarious quote!, The New Prophecy: Book 1: Midnight, The monster came in..., ThunderClan (Warriors), Time Travel Fix-It, Tribe of Rushing Water (Warriors), Uncle/Niece bonding, WindClan (Warriors), YEEEEESSSS!, i hate him, no beta we die like Feathertail, none shall pass, oh yeah, pls don't kill me over it, will add tags as needed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:40:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 44,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27944678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireAlder2005/pseuds/FireAlder2005
Summary: Darkness, Air, Water, and Sky will come together and shake the forest to its roots........Four cats in the four clans have received a fearful message.  The forest is in great danger.  The four will have to embark on a quest to save the clans that they love....or all hope will be lost as the oncoming storm hits.  None of the clans will be the same again as this New Prophecy sweeps them away.
Relationships: Alderpaw & Jayfeather (Warriors), Blackstar & Needlepaw (Warriors), Brambleclaw & Firestar (Warriors), Brambleclaw & Squirrelflight & Crowfeather & Feathertail & Stormfur & Rowanclaw (Warriors), Brambleclaw & Squirrelflight (Warriors), Cinderheart/Lionblaze (Warriors), Clear Sky/Star Flower (Mentioned), Cloudtail & Creekflower (Warriors), Dustpelt/Ferncloud (Warriors), Firestar & Graystripe (Warriors), Firestar & Icefoot & Lightningfur (Warriors), Firestar & Scourge (Warriors), Firestar/Sandstorm (Warriors), Frogspeck & Hawkfrost (Warriors), Frogspeck & Shadecloud (Warriors), Goldenflower & Brambleclaw, Gorseheart & Crowpaw (Warriors), Icefoot & Leafpaw & Shadecloud (Warriors), Icefoot & Leafpaw (Warriors), Icefoot & Shadecloud & Stonebrook (Warriors), Jayfeather & Lionblaze (Warriors), Leafpaw & Mothwing (Warriors), Leafpool & Squirrelflight (Warriors), Mothwing & Frogspeck & Hawkfrost (Warriors), Mothwing & Frogspeck (Warriors), Mothwing & Hawkfrost (Warriors), Onewhisker & Gorseheart (Warriors), Sandstorm & Squirrelflight (Warriors), Skystar/Star Flower (Mentioned), Slight Crowfeather/Feathertail (Warriors), Sorreltail & Leafpaw & Alderpaw (Warriors), Sorreltail & Leafpaw (Warriors), Sparkpaw & Needlepaw (Warriors), Swiftshade & Sorreltail (Warriors), Tallstar & Firestar (Warriors), Thunder & Tall Shadow & River Ripple & Wind Runner & Clear Sky (Warriors), Thunderstar & Alderpaw (Warriors), Thunderstar & Shadowstar & Riverstar & Windstar & Skystar (Warriors)
Series: A Vision of A.... [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939276
Comments: 29
Kudos: 21





	1. ALLEGIANCES

**Thunderclan**

**Leader:**

**Firestar** \- dark red, flame colored, tabby tom, green eyes

**Deputy:**

**Graystripe** \- gray tom, darker gray stripe along his back, yellow eyes

**Medicine Cats:**

**Cinderpelt** \- dark gray she-cat, blue eyes, crippled back leg

Apprentice: Leafpaw

**Jayfeather** \- gray tabby tom, blind blue eyes, from future Thunderclan

Apprentice: Alderpaw

**Warriors:**

**Mousefur** \- small, dusky brown she-cat, sunlit ice eyes

Apprentice: Spiderpaw

**Dustpelt** \- dark brown tom, amber eyes

Apprentice: Squirrelpaw

**Sandstorm** \- pale ginger she-cat, pale green eyes

**Lightningfur** \- dark brown and ginger she-cat, green eyes

**Airleap** \- Dark brown tabby tom, green eyes

**Copperleaf** \- ginger tom, green eyes

**Creekflower** \- brown and white tabby she-cat, green eyes

**Stonebrook** \- black and white tom, green eyes

**Shadecloud** \- gray she-cat, red/orange eyes

**Icefoot** \- black tom with one white paw, ice blue eyes

**Brackenfur** \- golden brown tom, amber eyes

Apprentice: Whitepaw

**Thornclaw** \- golden brown tom, pale blue eyes

Apprentice: Shrewpaw

**Cloudtail** \- long-haired white tom, blue eyes

**Swiftshade** \- black and white tom, blue eyes

Apprentice: Sorrelpaw

**Brightheart** \- ginger and white she-cat, blue eyes

**Ashfur** \- gray tom with darker flecks, dark blue eyes

**Snowflight** \- white tom, blue eyes, deaf

**Tawnypelt** \- tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes

**Brambleclaw** \- dark tabby tom, amber eyes

**Rainwhisker** \- dark gray tom, blue eyes

**Sootfur** \- light gray tom, yellow eyes

**Lionblaze** \- powerful, golden tom, amber eyes, from future Thunderclan

**Cinderheart** \- dark gray she-cat, blue eyes, from future Thunderclan

**Dovewing** \- gray she-cat, green eyes, from future Thunderclan

**Apprentices:**

**Sparkpaw** \- orange tabby she-cat, green eyes, from future Thunderclan

**Alderpaw** \- dark red tom, amber eyes, from future Thunderclan

**Sorrelpaw** \- tortoiseshell and white she-cat, amber eyes

**Whitepaw** \- white she-cat with green eyes

**Shrewpaw** \- dark brown tom, amber eyes

**Spiderpaw** \- black tom with brown underbelly, amber eyes

**Leafpaw** \- brown and white tabby she-cat, amber eyes

**Squirrelpaw** \- dark red she-cat, green eyes, one white paw

**Queens:**

**Ferncloud** \- gray she-cat with darker flecks, pale green eyes

Kits: Hollykit, Larchkit, and Birchkit

**Elders:**

**Dappletail** \- once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes

**Speckletail** \- pale tabby she-cat, amber eyes

**Whitestorm** \- big, white tom, yellow eyes

**Willowpelt** \- pale gray she-cat, unusual blue eyes

**Brindleface** \- gray she-cat with darker flecks, pale green eyes

**Frostfur** \- beautiful white she-cat, blue eyes

**Goldenflower** \- pale ginger she-cat, green eyes, oldest nursery queen

**Longtail** \- pale tabby tom, dark stripes, blind light blue eyes

**Shadowclan**

**Leader:**

**Blackstar** \- white tom with one black paw, amber eyes

**Deputy:**

**Russetfur** \- dark ginger she-cat, dark green eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

**Littlecloud** \- brown tabby tom, blue eyes

**Warriors:**

**Oakfur** \- brown tom, amber eyes

Apprentice: Smokepaw

**Rowanclaw** \- dark ginger tom, amber eyes

Apprentice: Talonpaw

**Cedarheart** \- dark gray tom, amber eyes

**Tallpoppy** \- long-legged light brown tabby she-cat, pale amber eyes

**Nightwing** \- black she-cat, pale green eyes

**Apprentices:**

**Needlepaw** \- silver tabby she-cat, green eyes, from future Shadowclan

**Smokepaw** \- dark gray tom, pale blue eyes

**Talonpaw** \- pale gray tom, light amber eyes

**Elders:**

**Runningnose** \- small gray and white tom, formerly medicine cat

**Windclan**

**Leader:**

**Tallstar** \- elderly black and white tom, very long tail, amber eyes

**Deputy:**

**Deadfoot** \- black tom, twisted front paw, green eyes

**Medicine Cat:**

**Barkface** \- short-tailed brown tom, amber eyes

**Warriors:**

**Mudclaw** \- mottled dark brown tom, amber eyes

**Onewhisker** \- light brown tabby tom, blue eyes

**Ashfoot** \- dark gray she-cat, blue eyes

**Webfoot** \- dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes

**Tornear** \- tabby tom, blue eyes

**Nightcloud** \- black she-cat, amber eyes

**Whitetail** \- small white she-cat, green eyes

**Runningbrook** \- gray she-cat, green eyes

**Gorseheart** \- ginger and white tom, blue eyes

Apprentice: Crowpaw

**Apprentices:**

Crowpaw - dark gray, almost black, tom, blue eyes

**Elders:**

**Morningflower** \- tortoiseshell she-cat, blue eyes

**Riverclan**

**Leader:**

**Leopardstar** \- spotted golden she-cat, amber eyes

**Deputy:**

**Stonefur** \- battlescarred gray tom, blue eyes, both ears clawed

**Medicine Cats:**

**Mudfur** \- long-haired, light brown tom, amber eyes

Apprentice: Mothwing - beautiful golden tabby she-cat, amber eyes

**Warriors:**

**Mistyfoot** \- blue-gray she-cat, blue eyes

**Blackclaw** \- smoky black tom

**Heavystep** \- thickset tabby tom

**Mosspelt** \- tortoiseshell she-cat, blue eyes

**Feathertail** \- silver tabby she-cat, blue eyes

**Stormfur** \- gray striped tom, amber eyes

**Hawkfrost** \- broad-shouldered, dark tabby tom, white underbelly, ice blue eyes

**Frogspeck** \- black tom, amber eyes

**Queens:**

**Dawnflower** \- pale gray she-cat, blue eyes

**Elders:**

**Shadepelt** \- very dark gray she-cat, blue eyes

**Loudbelly** \- dark brown tom, amber eyes

**Cats Outside Clans**

**Ravenpaw** \- black tom with white chest and tipped tail, light green eyes, lives on the farm

**Barley** \- black and white tom, amber eyes, lives on the farm

**Purdy** \- elderly tabby tom that lives in the woods by the sea

**Smudge** \- plump, friendly, black and white tom, amber eyes

**Hattie** \- pretty brown tabby she-cat, amber eyes

**Tribe of Rushing Water**

**Tribe-Healer:**

**Stoneteller** \- brown tabby tom, amber eyes

**Prey-Hunters:**

**Gray** \- pale gray tabby tom

**Brook** \- brown tabby she-cat

**Cave-Guards:**

**Talon** \- dark brown tabby tom

**Jag** \- dark gray tom

**Rock** \- brown tom

**Bird** \- gray tabby she-cat

**Crag** \- dark gray tom

**Sheer** \- dark brown tabby tom

**Night** \- black she-cat

**Kit-Mothers:**

**Wing** \- gray and white she-cat

**Flight** \- brown tabby she-cat

**Other Animals**

**Midnight** \- stargazing badger who lives by the sea


	2. Brambleclaw Is Having An Internal Argument With Himself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Fourth part of this series. Thanks for sticking with me!

Leaves rustled as the young tabby cat slid through a gap between two bushes, his jaws wide open to drink in the scent of prey. On this warm night in late greenleaf, the forest was full of the scuffles of tiny creatures. Movements twitched endlessly at the edge of his vision, but when he turned his head he could see nothing but thick clumps of fern and bramble, dappled with moonlight. 

Suddenly he stepped out into a wide clearing and gazed around in confusion. He could not remember being in this part of the forest before. Smooth-cropped grass, glowing silver in a cold wash of moonlight, stretched in front of him as far as a softly rounded rock where another cat was sitting. Starlight sparkled in her fur, and her eyes were two small moons. The young tabby’s bewilderment increased as he recognized her. 

“Bluestar?” he meowed, his voice shrill with disbelief. He had been an apprentice when the great leader of ThunderClan had died, four seasons ago, leaping into the gorge with a pack of blood-hungry dogs after her. Like all her Clan, he had grieved for her and honored her for the way she had given up her life to save them. He had never thought to see her again, and he realized for the first time that he must be dreaming. 

“Come closer, young warrior,” Bluestar meowed. “I have a message for you.” Shivering with awe, the tabby tom crept across the shining stretch of turf until he crouched below the rock and could look up into Bluestar’s eyes. 

“I’m listening, Bluestar,” he mewed. 

“A time of trouble is coming to the forest,” she told him. “A new prophecy must be fulfilled if the Clans are to survive. You have been chosen to meet with three other cats at the new moon, and you must listen to what midnight tells you.” 

“What do you mean?” The young cat felt a prickle of dread, cold as snowmelt, creep down his spine. “What kind of trouble? And how can midnight tell us anything?” 

“All will be made clear to you,” Bluestar replied. Her voice faded, echoing strangely as if she were speaking from a cavern far beneath the earth. The moonlight also began to grow dim, leaving thick black shadows to creep out of the trees around them. 

“No, wait!” the tabby cat cried out. “Don’t go!” He let out a terrified yowl, thrashing his paws and tail, as darkness rose up and engulfed him. Something poked him in the side and his eyes flew open to see Graystripe, the ThunderClan deputy, standing over him with one paw raised to prod him again. He was scuffling among the moss in the warriors’ den, with the golden sunlight leaking through the branches above his head. 

“Brambleclaw, you crazy furball!” the deputy meowed. “What’s all the noise about? You’ll scare off all the prey from here to Fourtrees.” 

“Sorry.” Brambleclaw sat up and began picking scraps of moss from his dark fur. “I was just dreaming.” 

“Dreaming!” grunted a new voice. Brambleclaw turned his head to see the white warrior Cloudtail heave himself out of a mossy nest nearby and give a long stretch. “Honestly, you’re as bad as Firestar,” Cloudtail went on. “When he slept in here he was always muttering and twitching in his sleep. A cat couldn’t get a good night’s rest for all the prey in the forest.” Brambleclaw twitched his ears to hear how disrespectfully the white warrior spoke about the Clan leader. Then he reminded himself that this was Cloudtail, Firestar’s kin and former apprentice, well known for his barbed tongue and ready scorn. His impudent talk didn’t stop him from being a loyal warrior to his Clan. 

“Cloudtail.” a chidding voice meowed softly. “That’s no way to talk about your leader, uncle, and former mentor.” a brown and white tabby was stretching in her nest, giving the white tom a stern look through bright green eyes. Creekflower was Cloudtail’s mother, and the only one, besides Firestar and Brightheart, who could successfully tell her son off without getting snapped at. Cloudtail twitched his ear, accepting his mother’s scolding, gave his long-furred white coat a shake and slipped out of the den, flicking the end of his tail at Brambleclaw in a friendly way to take the sting out of his earlier words as he went by. 

“Come on, you lot,” meowed Graystripe. “It’s time you were moving.” He picked his way through the moss on the floor of the den to prod Ashfur awake. “Hunting patrols will be going out soon. Brackenfur is organizing them.” 

“Right,” Brambleclaw mewed. His vision of Bluestar was fading, though her ominous message echoed in his ears. Could it really be true that there was a new prophecy from StarClan? It seemed fairly unlikely. For a start, Brambleclaw could not imagine why she would choose to give it to him, of all the cats in ThunderClan. Medicine cats frequently received signs from StarClan, and ThunderClan’s leader, Firestar, had often been guided by his dreams. But they were not for ordinary warriors. 

Trying to blame his wild imaginings on too much fresh-kill the night before, Brambleclaw gave his shoulder one last lick and followed Cloudtail out through the trailing branches. The sun was barely up above the hedge of thorns that surrounded the camp, but the day was already warm. Sunlight lay like honey on the bare earth in the center of the clearing. Sorrelpaw, the oldest of the apprentices, lay stretched out beside the ferns that sheltered the apprentices’ den, sharing tongues with her den mates Spiderpaw and Shrewpaw. Cloudtail had gone over to the nettle patch where the warriors ate and was already gulping down a starling. Brambleclaw noticed that the pile of fresh-kill was very low; as Graystripe had said, the Clan needed to hunt right away. 

He was about to go and join the white warrior when Sorrelpaw sprang up and came bounding across the clearing toward him. 

“It’s today!” she announced excitedly. Brambleclaw blinked. 

“What is?” 

“My warrior ceremony!” With a little mrrow of happiness, the tortoiseshell she-cat hurled herself at Brambleclaw; the unexpected attack bowled him over and they wrestled together on the dusty ground, just as they used to when they were kits together in the nursery. Sorrelpaw’s hind paws battered Brambleclaw in the belly, and he thanked StarClan that her claws were sheathed. There was no doubt that she would make a strong and dangerous warrior, one that every cat would respect. 

“All right, all right, that’s enough.” Brambleclaw cuffed Sorrelpaw gently over one ear and scrambled up. “If you’re going to be a warrior, you’ll have to stop behaving like a kit.” 

“A kit?” Sorrelpaw meowed indignantly. She sat in front of him, her fur sticking up in clumps and covered with dust. “Me? Never! I’ve waited a long time for this, Brambleclaw.” 

“I know. You deserve it.” Sorrelpaw had ventured too close to the Thunderpath while she was chasing a squirrel in newleaf. A Twoleg monster had struck her a glancing blow, injuring her shoulder. While she lay in the medicine cat’s den for three long, uncomfortable moons, under the gentle care of the medicine cats, her brothers, Sootfur and Rainwhisker, had become warriors. Sorrelpaw had been determined to follow them as soon as she was declared fit enough to begin training again; Brambleclaw had watched how hard she had worked with her mentor, Swiftshade, until her shoulder was as good as new. She had never shown any bitterness at being forced to train for several moons longer than the usual apprenticeship. She really deserved her warrior ceremony. 

“I’ve just taken fresh-kill to Ferncloud,” she meowed to Brambleclaw. “Her kits are beautiful! Have you seen them yet?” 

“No, not yet,” Brambleclaw replied. Ferncloud’s second litter of kits had been born only the day before. 

“Go now,” Sorrelpaw urged him. “You’ve just enough time before we hunt.” She sprang up and danced a few steps sideways, as if all her energy had to go somewhere. Brambleclaw set off for the nursery, which was hidden in the depths of a bramble thicket near the center of the camp. He squeezed through the narrow entrance, wincing as thorns scraped against his broad shoulders. Inside it was warm and quiet. Ferncloud was lying on her side in a deep nest of moss. Her green eyes glowed as she gazed at the three tiny kits curled up snugly in the curve of her body: one was pale gray like her, the other two brown tabbies like their father, Dustpelt. He was in the nursery too, crouched beside Ferncloud with his paws tucked under him, occasionally rasping his tongue affectionately over her ear. 

“Hi, there, Brambleclaw,” he meowed as the younger warrior appeared. “Come to see the new kits?” He looked ready to burst with pride, quite different from his usual prickly, detached air. 

“They’re beautiful,” Brambleclaw mewed, touching noses with Ferncloud in greeting. “Have you chosen names for them yet?” Ferncloud shook her head, blinking drowsily up at him. 

“Not yet.” 

“There’s time enough for that.” Goldenflower, the oldest ThunderClan queen and Brambleclaw’s own mother, spoke from her mossy bed. She had no kits of her own to nurse, but she had decided to stay in the nursery and share the care of the new arrivals instead of taking up her warrior duties again; she was nearing the time when she would go to join the elders in their den, and was the first to admit that her hearing and eyesight were no longer sharp enough to keep up with the best hunting patrols. “They’re strong, healthy kits, that’s what matters, and Ferncloud has plenty of milk.” Brambleclaw respectfully dipped his head to her. 

“She’s lucky to have you to help look after them.” 

“Well, I didn’t do too bad a job with you and Tawnypelt,” Goldenflower purred proudly. 

“There’s something you could do for me,” Dustpelt meowed to Brambleclaw as he was leaving. 

“Sure, if I can.” 

“Keep an eye on Squirrelpaw, would you? I want to spend a day or two with Ferncloud, while the kits are still so small, but Squirrelpaw shouldn’t be left without a mentor for too long.”  _ Squirrelpaw! _ Brambleclaw groaned inwardly. Firestar’s daughter, eight moons old, recently apprenticed—and the biggest nuisance in ThunderClan. 

“It’ll be good practice for when you have an apprentice of your own,” Dustpelt added, as if he sensed his Clan mate’s reluctance. Brambleclaw knew that Dustpelt was right. He hoped that Firestar would choose him to be a mentor before much longer, with an apprentice of his own to train in the warrior code, but he also hoped that his apprentice would not be some smart-aleck ginger she-cat who thought she knew it all. He was well aware that Squirrelpaw would not take kindly to orders coming from him. 

“Okay, Dustpelt,” he meowed. “I’ll do my best.” When Brambleclaw emerged from the nursery he saw that more cats had appeared in the clearing. Brightheart, a pretty white she-cat with ginger patches on her fur like fallen leaves, had just chosen a piece of fresh-kill from the remains of the pile and was taking it across to where Cloudtail still sat by the nettle patch. Cloudtail greeted her with a flick of his tail and she sat beside him to eat. 

“Brambleclaw! There you are!” Brambleclaw turned and saw a long-legged ginger warrior heading toward him from the direction of the warriors’ den. He padded over to meet him. 

“Hi, Brackenfur. Graystripe said you’re organizing hunting patrols.” 

“That’s right,” Brackenfur meowed. “Will you go out with Squirrelpaw this morning, please?” He angled his ears toward the apprentices’ den, and Brambleclaw noticed for the first time that Squirrelpaw was half-concealed in the shade of the ferns. She sat tall, her tail curled around her paws, her green eyes following a bright-winged butterfly. When Brackenfur beckoned her with his tail, she got up and strolled across the clearing, her tail straight up and her dark ginger fur gleaming in the sunlight. 

“Hunting patrol,” Brackenfur explained briefly. “Dustpelt is busy, so you can go with Brambleclaw. Can you find another cat to go with you?” Without waiting for an answer, he hurried off toward Sandstorm and Sorrelpaw. Squirrelpaw yawned and stretched. 

“Well,” she meowed. “Where shall we go?” 

“I thought Sunningrocks,” Brambleclaw began. “Then we can—” 

“Sunningrocks?” Squirrelpaw interrupted, her eyes stretching wide in disbelief. “Are you mouse-brained? On a day as hot as this, all the prey will be hiding down cracks. We won’t catch so much as a whisker.” 

“It’s still early,” Brambleclaw replied crossly. “The prey will be out for a while yet.” Squirrelpaw let out a heavy sigh. 

“Honestly, Brambleclaw, you always think you know better than anyone else.” 

“Well, I  _ am _ a warrior,” Brambleclaw pointed out, and knew instantly it was the wrong thing to say. Squirrelpaw bowed her head in deep and exaggerated respect. 

“Yes, O Great One,” she meowed. “I shall do exactly what you say. And when we come back empty-pawed, maybe you’ll admit that I was right.”  **(LOL, Squirrel is such a mood)**

“Well, then,” Brambleclaw mewed, “if you’re so clever, where do you think we should hunt?” 

“Up toward Fourtrees, by the stream,” Squirrelpaw replied promptly. “That’s a much better place.” Brambleclaw was even more annoyed when he realized that she might be right. In spite of the endless hot days that had lasted all greenleaf, the stream there still ran cool and deep, with thick clumps of reeds where prey could hide. He hesitated, wondering how he could change his mind without losing face in front of the apprentice. 

“Squirrelpaw.” A new voice rescued him, and Brambleclaw realized that Sandstorm, Squirrelpaw’s mother, had padded over to join them. “Stop ruffling Brambleclaw’s fur. You chatter as much as a nest of jackdaws.” Her annoyed green gaze turned on Brambleclaw and she added, “And you’re just as bad. The pair of you are always squabbling; you can’t be trusted to hunt together if you can’t even get out of the clearing without scaring half the prey between here and Fourtrees.” 

“Sorry,” Brambleclaw muttered, embarrassment sweeping through his fur from ears to tail-tip. 

“You’re a warrior; you should know better. Go and ask Cloudtail if you can hunt with him. And as for you,” Sandstorm meowed to her daughter, “you can come and hunt with me and Sorrelpaw. Brackenfur won’t mind. And you’ll do as you’re told, or I’ll know the reason why.” Without looking back, she headed straight for the gorse tunnel that led out of the camp. Squirrelpaw stood still for a moment, a sulky look in her green eyes, and scuffed the ground with her forepaws. Sorrelpaw came up and gave her a friendly nudge. 

“Come on,” she urged. “This is my last hunt as an apprentice. Let’s make it a good one.” Reluctantly Squirrelpaw nodded, and the two cats set off together after Sandstorm; the dark ginger apprentice shot a last glare at Brambleclaw as she passed him. Brambleclaw shrugged. Squirrelpaw would get more experienced mentoring from Sandstorm than she would from him, so he wasn’t letting Dustpelt down even though the warrior had asked him to keep an eye on her. And he wouldn’t have to listen all morning to her annoying chatter, so he wasn’t sure why he felt slightly disappointed at being set on a different patrol.  **(Do I detect a tad bit of BrambleSquirrel?!?! :-) )**

Pushing off the feeling, he bounded over to the nettle patch where Cloudtail and Brightheart were finishing their prey. Their single kit, Whitepaw, had just padded across to join them; as Brambleclaw came up he heard her say, 

“Are you going hunting? Please can I come with you?” Cloudtail flicked his tail. 

“No.” Whitepaw had begun to look disappointed when he added, “Brackenfur said he’d take you. He is your mentor, after all.” 

“He told me he’s really proud of you,” Brightheart purred. Whitepaw brightened up. 

“Great! I’ll go find him.” Cloudtail gave her an affectionate cuff over the ear with one paw before she dashed off, her tail waving excitedly. Brambleclaw hoped that didn’t mean that Cloudtail and Brightheart wanted to go out alone. 

“Do you mind if I join you?” he asked. 

“Sure, you can come,” Cloudtail replied. He jumped up and nodded to Brightheart, then the three cats trotted together across the clearing toward the gorse tunnel. Just before he headed into the close-growing thorns, Brambleclaw glanced over his shoulder at the quiet activity going on in the camp. Every cat looked well fed, sleek furred, and confident that their territory was safe. Bluestar’s message came back to echo in his mind. Could it be true that some great trouble was coming upon the forest? Brambleclaw felt his fur prickle with foreboding. He decided that he would not tell any cat about the dream. That seemed like the only way he could convince himself that it meant nothing, and there was no new prophecy coming to disrupt life in the forest as they knew it.

Sparkpaw lounged in the clearing, softly purring as the sun’s rays warmed her orange pelt. Flicking her tail, she gazed through half-closed eyes and pricked her ears as the rest of the Clan was beginning to slip out into the clearing and gather around the Highrock.  _ Must be time for Sorrelpaw’s warrior ceremony. _ The she-cat thought as she sat up, green eyes open. She spotted her father, or, well, the younger version of him, pad closer to the Highrock and sit down close to Ashfur, who gave him a friendly nod.  _ Welp, that’s weird. _ Sparkpaw thought.  _ Seeing Ashfur and Brambleclaw being friendly. _

Graystripe was sitting at the base of the rock, looking as proud as if his own apprentice were about to be made a warrior. The gray warrior had replaced Whitestorm as deputy when the white tom had decided to join the elder’s den, and Graystripe liked to keep an eye on the progress of all the young cats.

As Brambleclaw watched, the deputy was joined by Cinderpelt, the medicine cat, Jayfeather, the future medicine cat, his apprentice, Alderpaw, and Cinderpelt’s apprentice, Leafpaw, Squirrelpaw’s sister. She looked nothing like Squirrelpaw; she was smaller and slighter, with pale tabby fur and a white chest and paws, much like her aunt Creekflower. The sisters were not much alike in character either.

When Leafpaw sat down and tipped her head to one side to listen to what her mentor and the deputy were saying to each other, Brambleclaw wondered, not for the first time, how she managed to be so quiet and attentive when her sister Squirrelpaw never stopped talking. Alderpaw and Jayfeather were conversing with each other. The dark red tom (Who looked a bit like Squirrelpaw for some reason) twitched his whiskers, amber eyes gleaming with amusement, as Jayfeather cocked his head and swatted his apprentice with a forepaw. Jayfeather had a blunt, sarcastic personality, and it was a mystery as to how he and Alderpaw (who was much more gentle and reserved than his mentor) got along.

At last Firestar, the Clan leader, appeared from his den at the other side of the Highrock. He was a strong, lithe warrior, his pelt blazing like flame in the light of the setting sun. After pausing for a word with Graystripe, he bunched his muscles and leaped to the top of the Highrock, from where he could look down on the Clan.

“Cats of ThunderClan!” he announced. “Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting.”

Most of the cats were there already, but as Firestar’s voice echoed around the clearing the last of the Clan members slid out from their dens and trotted over to join the others. Brambleclaw spotted Lightningfur, Airleap, and Copperleaf join Cloudtail and Brightheart, Creekflower was already laying beside her son, listening to Whitepaw chatter about what she and Brackenfur did that day. Like Creekflower, the three were siblings to Firestar. All five of the littermates shared one, distinct, similarity. They all had bright green eyes.  _ Like Squirrelpaw’s _ . Brambleclaw thought.  _ And Sparkpaw’s. _ He spotted the orange tabby playfully batting at her brother, Alderpaw.  _ It’s strange, _ Brmableclaw thought.  _ They look a bit like Squirrelpaw, and Firestar for that matter. Are they related to them in any way? _ Brambleclaw knew they, Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Cinderheart (Who were currently sitting beside Mousefur), Dovewing (Who was beside Creekflower and Whitepaw), and a Shadowclan apprentice named Needlepaw had come from the future. What he didn’t know is who they were related to. Stalking over to Lightningfur to exchange a quick word was Icefoot, formerly a rogue named Scourge and the former leader of Bloodclan. The black tom had come to Thunderclan with his siblings, Shadecloud and Stonebrook, seeking refuge from Brick, who had stirred up an uprising in the ranks of Bloodclan and tried to murder Icefoot. The tom had provided the clans with valuable information to help defeat Bloodclan, and was a main reason why there was peace in the forest.

Last of the gathering cats was Sorrelpaw with her mentor, Swiftshade. Her tortoiseshell fur was freshly groomed, her white chest and paws shining like snow. Her amber eyes gleamed with pride and suppressed excitement as she paced across the clearing. Beside her, Swiftshade looked just as proud; Brambleclaw knew how much the black and white tom had suffered when he had seen his apprentice lying injured on the Thunderpath. They had both needed courage and perseverance to reach this ceremony.

Firestar sprang down from the Highrock to meet the apprentice and her mentor. 

“Swiftshade,” he began, using the formal words that had been handed down through all the Clans, “are you satisfied that this apprentice is ready to become a warrior of ThunderClan?”

Swiftshade dipped his head. 

“She will be a warrior the Clan can be proud of,” she replied.

Firestar raised his eyes to where the first stars of Silverpelt were beginning to appear in the evening sky. 

“I, Firestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down upon this apprentice.” The Clan was hushed as his voice rang out across the clearing. “She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn.” He turned to Sorrelpaw, locking his green gaze with hers. “Sorrelpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?”

Sparkpaw was sitting straight up, tail curled as she watched Sorrelpaw’s whole body quiver with anticipation as she lifted her chin and replied clearly, 

“I do.”

“Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior name. Sorrelpaw, from this moment you will be known as Sorreltail. StarClan honors your courage and your patience, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan.”

Stepping forward, Firestar rested his muzzle on top of Sorreltail’s head. In return she gave his shoulder a respectful lick before backing away.

The rest of the warriors gathered around her, welcoming her and calling her by her new name. 

“Sorreltail! Sorreltail!”

Her brothers, Sootfur and Rainwhisker, were among the first, their eyes gleaming with pride that their sister had finally joined them as a warrior. Firestar waited until the noise had died down. 

“Sorreltail, according to tradition you must keep vigil in silence tonight, and watch over the camp.”

“While the rest of us get a good night’s sleep,” Cloudtail added.

The Clan leader flashed him a warning glance but said nothing as the cats parted to let Sorreltail take up her position in the middle of the clearing. She sat with her tail curled around her paws and her gaze fixed on the darkening sky, where the light of Silverpelt grew steadily stronger.

With the ceremony over, the rest of the cats slipped away into the shadows. Brambleclaw stretched and yawned, looking forward to his comfortable nest in the warriors’ den, but content to stay in the clearing for a while to enjoy the warm evening. He could not see any signs that other cats had shared his disturbing dream; and yet Bluestar had suggested that three other cats would be involved in the new prophecy. Brambleclaw felt a purr rising into his throat, half-amused by how quickly he had believed that a cat from StarClan had visited him in his dreams. That would teach him to gulp down fresh-kill just before he went to sleep.

“Brambleclaw.” Firestar padded over and settled down beside him. “Cloudtail says you hunted well today.”

“Thank you, Firestar.”

The leader’s gaze was fixed on his daughters, Leafpaw and Squirrelpaw, who were heading toward the pile of fresh-kill.

“How are you and Tawnypelt doing?” Firestar meowed unexpectedly. Brambleclaw blinked in surprise. 

“We’re good,” Brambleclaw replied. “She and I will be going for a hunt tomorrow.” Firestar nodded his head, a low hum coming from his throat.

“I didn’t understand how you might feel about her. Not until I saw how close those two are.” Firestar nodded toward the two sister apprentices, who were choosing prey from the pile.

“Firestar, you’re not being fair to yourself,” Brambleclaw insisted uncomfortably. “After all, you're close with your siblings, aren’t you?” he dared to add. Firestar was close with all of his siblings, but especially to Creekflower, the first one he had reconnected with. Brambleclaw knew very well how important they were to each other. Creekflower had given Firestar her firstborn kit to raise as a warrior—and that was Cloudtail, Brightheart’s loyal friend. Eventually, she and their siblings had joined Thunderclan, unable to stay separated from their youngest brother.

The Clan leader tilted his head to one side, thinking. 

“Of course I’m close to them,” he meowed at last. “I just didn’t realize how close we actually are.”

“We’re all happier where we are.” Brambleclaw meowed. 

“That’s true.” Firestar nodded. “The most important thing is that you’ve both found a Clan where you can be loyal.”

A warm feeling crept through Brambleclaw. Once Firestar had doubted his loyalty because he looked so much like his father, Tigerstar, with the same muscular body and dark tabby pelt, the same amber eyes, but now Firestar had complete faith in him.

Brambleclaw suddenly wondered if a truly loyal Clan cat would mention the disturbing dream and Bluestar’s warning that great trouble was coming to the forest. He was trying to find the words to start when Firestar stood up, dipped his head briefly in farewell, and padded over to where Sandstorm was sitting with Graystripe near the Highrock.

Brambleclaw almost followed him, but then he reminded himself that if StarClan really wanted to send a prophecy of great danger, they would not give it to one of the youngest, least experienced warriors in the Clan. They would tell the medicine cat, or perhaps the Clan leader himself. And obviously Firestar, Cinderpelt, and Jayfeather had not received an omen, or they would be telling the Clan what to do about it.  _ No,  _ Brambleclaw told himself again,  _ there’s nothing whatsoever to worry about. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bluestar: Brambleclaw, we've got a big storm comin'.
> 
> Brambleclaw: *Internal debate*
> 
> Sparkpaw, watching Ashfur: Look at that cHickEn!


	3. Squirrelpaw, The Queen of Drama!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter! Enjoy!

Alderpaw pushed his way through the thorn tunnel into camp, his mouth clamped shut with a bundle of herbs. Immediately, he spotted Dustpelt pacing the clearing, flicking his tail irritably. Casting a curious look at the brown warrior, Alderpaw trotted over to the medicine den and slipped inside, setting his herbs down beside Leafpaw.  _ It was strange, _ Alderpaw reflected.  _ Being older than Leafpool that is. _ Alderpaw knew it was even stranger for Jayfeather. Being older than your parents really turns the world upside down. Shadecloud stuck her head in.

“Have either of you seen Squirrelpaw?” she asked. Alderpaw and Leafpaw shook their heads. Shadecloud huffed. “Dustpelt’s looking for her. He was going to take her out for a training session, but she’s dropped off the face of the earth!” the gray she-cat sighed and shook her head. “Randomly disappearing,” she muttered as she turned and left. “Just like her father, she is.” Leafpaw stifled a mrrow of laughter.

“Squirrelpaw’s done it again.” she meowed, shaking her head.

“Who’s done what again?” Jayfeather’s sharp mew asked. He stuck his head out from the stores. “Squirrelpaw’s missing again? Why am I not surprised?” he rolled his eyes and ducked back into the stores. Alderpaw lifted a paw to his face as Leafpaw blinked at the spot Jayfeather was at. Then she shook her head, accepting her companion’s attitude, and went back to her sorting.

“Well?” Dustpelt’s icy meow had both apprentices stick their heads outside. “What have you got to say for yourself?”

Squirrelpaw met his glare bravely, but there was a quaver in her voice as she replied, 

“I went on patrol, Dustpelt.”

“Oh, on patrol! I see. And which cat ordered you to go? Graystripe? Firestar?”

“No cat ordered me. But I thought—”

“No, you didn’t think.” Dustpelt’s voice was scathing. “I told you we would train today. Mousefur and Brackenfur took their apprentices to the training hollow to practice their fighting

moves. We could have gone with them, but we didn’t, because you weren’t here. Do you realize that every cat has been searching the camp for you?”

Squirrelpaw shook her head, scuffling the ground with her front paws.

“When no cat could find you, Firestar took out a patrol to try following your scent. Did you see anything of him?” Another shake of the head.“Your Clan leader has better things to do than chase after apprentices who can’t do as they’re told,” Dustpelt went on. “Thornclaw, why did you let her go with you?”

“I’m sorry, Dustpelt,” Thornclaw apologized. “I thought she’d be safer with us than wandering around the forest by herself.”

Dustpelt snorted. 

“That’s true.”

“We could still go and do the training,” Squirrelpaw suggested.

“Oh, no. No more training for you until you learn what being an apprentice really means.” Dustpelt paused for a heartbeat. “You can spend the rest of the day looking after the elders. Make sure they have enough fresh-kill. Change their bedding. Go over their pelts for ticks.” He blinked. “I’m sure Cinderpelt has plenty of mousebile for you.” Squirrelpaw’s eyes flew wide in dismay. 

“Oh, yuck!” Alderpaw and Leafpaw both wrinkled their noses as they vividly recalled the horrifying stench of mousebile.

“Well, what are you waiting for?”

The young apprentice stared at Dustpelt for a moment longer, as if she couldn’t believe he really meant it. When there was no change in her mentor’s hard stare, she whisked around and flounced across the clearing toward the elders’ den. Brambleclaw bounded across the clearing and caught up with Squirrelpaw just outside the elders’ den. The dark red she-cat snapped something at him, the dark tabby meowed something, then Squirrelpaw opened her mouth, paused, then nodded. Brambleclaw then gestured to the medicine den. Squirrelpaw made a winning expression appear on her face, but Brambleclaw twitched his ears to Dustpelt. Squirrelpaw sighed then stalked over to the medicine den. Leafpaw greeted her sister with a lick around the ears while Alderpaw ducked back into the stores, nearly bumping into Jayfeather.

“Sorry! Just grabbing the mousebile.” the blind tom flicked his tail.

“Squirrelpaw’s being punished to take care of the elders I’m guessing?” Jayfeather inquired. Alderpaw nodded. The gray tabby sighed. “Back there. Make sure you don’t get any on you. Wash it off in the stream if you do.” Jayfeather exited the stores as Alderpaw quickly identified the stink of mousebile. Gingerly, the dark red tom hooked some moss soaked in mousebile onto a stick and brought it out, setting it down beside the past version of his mother.

“Here you go.” he meowed. “Careful not to swallow any.” Squirrelpaw nodded brusquely, picked up the stick, and swept out of the den, nearly prancing across the clearing. Alderpaw was amused by how much of a drama queen his mother was, then realized that Sparkpaw got her drama queeness from their mother.  _ I wonder who is  _ _ the _ _ drama queen. _ Alderpaw thought. Then he paused.  _ Wait, actually, I don’t want to know. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Squirrelpaw & Brambleclaw: *Bickering*
> 
> Thunderclan, remembering that these two will get together and have kits: Ah, lover's quarrel. SHIP IT!


	4. Leafpaw Analyzes Jayfeather, The Empath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter for today! :-)

“Squirrelpaw is upset,” Leafpaw remarked, watching her sister leave the medicine cat’s clearing with the twig of mouse bile clenched in her jaws.

“She deserves to be.” Cinderpelt glanced up from counting the juniper berries she just came back with. She spoke firmly, though not unsympathetically. “If apprentices think they can go off by themselves, without telling any cat, then where would we be?”

“I know.” While Alderpaw prepared the mouse bile, she had listened to her sister raging about how unfair the punishment was. Squirrelpaw’s anger churned deep within Leafpaw’s belly, as if the air in the camp were water and her sister was sending ripples of cold frustration into the medicine cat’s den. Ever since they were tiny kits they had always known what the other was feeling. Leafpaw remembered how her fur had tingled with excitement when Squirrelpaw was made apprentice, and how her sister had been unable to sleep on the night when Leafpaw had been apprenticed as a medicine cat at the Moonstone. Once she had felt an excruciating pain in her paw, and limped around the camp from sunhigh to sunset, until Squirrelpaw returned from a hunting patrol with a thorn driven deep into her pad.

Leafpaw shook her head as if she had a burr clinging to her pelt, trying to push away her sister’s emotions and concentrate on her task of sorting yarrow leaves.

“Squirrelpaw will be fine,” Cinderpelt reassured her. “It’ll all be forgotten tomorrow. Now,” the dark gray she-cat looked behind her. “Alderpaw, did you get any of that mouse bile on your fur? If you did, you’d better go and wash it off.”

“No, Cinderpelt, I’m fine.” Alderpaw’s mew came from the stores, and the tom slid out, ear pricked. Cinderpelt then limped out of the den, followed by the apprentices and pressed her muzzle comfortingly against Leafpaw’s side. 

“Do you want to come to the Gathering tonight?”

“May I?” Leafpaw spun to face her mentor. Then she hesitated. “Squirrelpaw won’t be allowed to come, will she?”

“After today? Certainly not!” Cinderpelt’s blue eyes glowed with understanding. “Leafpaw, you and your sister aren’t kits anymore. And you have chosen a very different path from hers, to be a medicine cat. You will always be friends, but you can’t do everything together, and the sooner you both accept that, the better.”

Leafpaw nodded and bent over the yarrow leaves again. She struggled to calm her feelings of excitement over the Gathering, so that Squirrelpaw would not feel even more upset over being left out. Cinderpelt was right, but all the same she couldn’t help wishing that she and Squirrelpaw had been able to attend the Gathering together. 

“What in Starclan’s name did you think you were doing?” Leafpaw jumped as she recognized Jayfeather’s meow, usually dry with wit and ready sarcasm, now elevated into a screech. The gray tom stood nose to nose with his brother, Lionblaze, who’s amber eyes were wide and he was slightly leaning back. Even though he was much bigger than his brother, Jayfeather’s tongue was arguably worse than his bite. Lionblaze’s mate, Cinderheart, stood a little ways away, talking quietly with Dovewing.

“Um…” Lionblaze began. “I was fighting a fox….” Jayfeather narrowed his eyes.

“And?” he prompted.

“And...I was by myself.”

“And?”

“And...no one else was close by.”

“ _ And? _ ”

“And...I’m a mouse-brain.” Jayfeather sharply nodded.

“Yes. Yes you are. So now, you are going to stay here tonight. No Gathering for you.” Lionblaze’s ears lay flat on his head at those words.

“What?!” he meowed. “But-”  
“But nothing!” Jayfeather cut him off. “Being my brother doesn’t mean you can be exempt from being confined to camp. No go to the medicine den and wait until I can put the poultice on you!” Lionblaze slunk away, muttering under his breath about overprotective siblings.

“Well,” Cinderpelt meowed. “That went well.” Alderpaw let out a mrrow of laughter.

“That’s normal.” the tom said. “One time, Lionblaze came back to camp,  _ covered _ in scratches, and Jayfeather just dragged him into the medicine den, yowling about how much of an idiot Lionblaze was.” Leafpaw fought back a laugh at that. To many, Jayfeather may seem apathetic to others, but he was actually unusually aware of other cats’ feelings and emotions.  _ It’s almost as if he can read their minds! _ Leafpaw thought. The gray tom did have a slightly strange habit of accurately answering what others were thinking without anyone saying anything. Sometimes, Leafpaw even caught him staring intently at her, like he knew what was going on in her head. But, other times he seemed to stare at her like he knew something that she didn’t, or didn’t know yet. That was possible due to Jayfeather being from the future, but if he did know something, what was it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jay's Mind-Reading Incidences:
> 
> Dustpelt, thinking: Ow, my paw hurts.
> 
> Jayfeather, tossing some herbs at him: Run that on it.
> 
> Speckletail, thinking: Ah, cramps!
> 
> Jayfeather, materializing from nowhere: Magical cure, right here.
> 
> Mousefur, thinking: Must not cough. Do not cough.
> 
> Jayfeather, shoving honey down her throat: TAKE THIS FOR YOUR DANG COUGH!!


	5. Hawkfrost Enters The Scene And Lion & Jay Have Been Triggered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Only chapter for today I'm afraid! Had a busy day.

The full moon rode high in the sky as Firestar led the cats from ThunderClan up the slope toward Fourtrees. Padding along beside Cinderpelt, Leafpaw shivered with anticipation. This was the place where the territories of all four Clans joined together. At every full moon, the Clan leaders met here with their warriors under the sacred truce of StarClan to exchange news and make decisions that would affect the whole forest.

Firestar paused at the top of the slope and gazed down into the clearing. Leafpaw, near the back of the group, could only just see the tops of the four great oak trees that gave the clearing its name, but she could hear the sounds of many cats, and the breeze brought to her the mingled scents of ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan.

Before her first Gathering, the only other cats Leafpaw had met were the three medicine cats from the other Clans, when she made her journey to Highstones at the half moon to be formally apprenticed. When she had attended a Gathering for the first time, she and Squirrelpaw had been overwhelmed by all the strangers, and had stayed close to their mentors. But this time Leafpaw felt more confident, and she was looking forward to meeting warriors and apprentices from other Clans.

Crouching in the undergrowth, she watched her father for the signal to move down into the clearing. Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt, and Snowflight were standing just in front of her with Mousefur and Sorreltail. Leafpaw could see from the tautness in the young tabby tom’s muscles that he was eagerly waiting for the Gathering to start, while Sorreltail’s whole body quivered with excitement at the prospect of her first Gathering as a warrior. Farther ahead, Graystripe and Sandstorm were exchanging a few words, while Cloudtail shifted impatiently from paw to paw. Briefly, Leafpaw felt a pang of sadness that Squirrelpaw was not there as well, but to her relief her sister had not minded too much about being left behind, saying that she was looking forward to a good night’s sleep after caring for the elders all day.

At last Firestar raised his tail as the sign for his cats to move forward. Leafpaw sprang over the edge of the hollow and found herself racing down the slope just behind Brambleclaw, weaving her way through the bushes until she came out into the clearing.

The shimmering moonlight revealed a mass of cats, some already seated around the Great Rock in the center, others trotting across the clearing to greet cats they had not seen for a moon, or lying in the shelter of the bushes to gossip and share tongues. Brambleclaw slipped into the throng right away, Icefoot, her uncle, had paused beside Boulder, a Shadowclan elder, and exchanged a few words, and Cinderpelt went over to speak to Littlecloud, the ShadowClan medicine cat. Leafpaw hesitated, still a little daunted by the number of warriors in front of her, the unfamiliar scents, and the glowing of so many eyes that all seemed to be trained on her.

Then she caught sight of Graystripe with a group of cats who all had the scent of RiverClan. Leafpaw recognized a warrior with dense blue-gray fur whom they had met at the last Gathering, and remembered her name: Mistyfoot. She was the sister of the Riverclan deputy Stonefur, who was also sitting there. The two younger warriors were strangers to her, but Graystripe greeted them affectionately, pressing his muzzle against theirs.

Leafpaw was just wondering if she would be welcome to go and talk to them when Mistyfoot caught her eye and beckoned to her with her tail. 

“Hi—it’s Leafpaw, isn’t it? Cinderpelt’s apprentice?”

“That’s right.” Leafpaw padded over. “How are you?”

“We’re all well, and the Clan is thriving,” Mistyfoot replied. “Have you met Stormfur and Feathertail?”

“My kits,” Graystripe added proudly, though it was several moons since these strong cats had left the nursery. Leafpaw touched noses with the young warriors, realizing that she should have guessed Stormfur was Graystripe’s kin. The two cats had the same muscular bodies and long gray pelt. Feathertail’s fur was a lighter silver-gray tabby; her blue eyes glowed with warmth and friendliness as she greeted Leafpaw.

“I know Cinderpelt well,” she meowed. “She looked after me once when I was ill. You must be proud to be her apprentice.”

Leafpaw nodded. 

“Very proud. But she knows so much, sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever learn it all!”

Feathertail purred sympathetically. 

“I felt the same about becoming a warrior. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

“You say the Clan’s thriving, Mistyfoot,” Graystripe meowed quietly, “but you’re looking worried. Is there a problem?”

Now that he mentioned it, Leafpaw could see a glimmer of

uneasiness in Mistyfoot and Stonefur’s eyes. Mistyfoot hesitated for a couple of heartbeats and then shrugged. 

“It’s probably nothing but . . .” 

“Well, you’ll hear about it soon enough when the Gathering starts.” Stonefur meowed.

As he spoke he glanced toward the Great Rock. Leafpaw saw that two cats were already waiting on the summit. Silhouetted against the shining circle of the full moon was Tallstar, leader of WindClan, easily recognizable by his long tail. Tallstar saw her looking and gave her a nod, amber eyes warm. She nodded back respectfully, and saw beside him stood Leopardstar, the RiverClan leader, staring around impatiently at the cats below. As Leafpaw watched, she saw Firestar leap up to join them, pausing to exchange a friendly greeting with Tallstar.

“Where is ShadowClan’s leader?” Leopardstar called out. “Blackstar, what are you waiting for?”

“Just coming.” A heavy white tom with jet black paws shouldered his way through the cats not far from Leafpaw. He crouched at the base of the rock and sprang up to land lightly beside the RiverClan leader.

As soon as his paws touched the rock Leopardstar threw back her head and let out a yowl. At once the noise in the clearing died down and every cat turned to face the Great Rock. Feathertail settled down beside Leafpaw with a friendly glance, and Leafpaw found herself warming to the gentle young warrior.

“Cats of all Clans, welcome.” Tallstar, the eldest of all the Clan leaders, moved to the front of the Great Rock, raising his voice to address the assembled cats. Glancing at his fellow leaders, he asked, “Who will speak first?”

“I will.” Firestar stepped forward, his flame-colored pelt turned silver in the moonlight. Leafpaw heard Icefoot softly mutter “Show off.”, but the black tom’s voice was light with humor.

Leafpaw listened as her father passed on the news about the badger at Snakerocks. It caused little stir; the creature was unlikely to move from there onto another Clan’s territory as long as the forest was full of prey.

“And we have a new warrior,” Firestar went on. “The ThunderClan apprentice Sorrelpaw has taken the warrior name of Sorreltail.”

A murmur of appreciation rippled around the clearing; Sorreltail was popular and well-known among the other Clans, having been to several more Gatherings than the average apprentice. Leafpaw caught a glimpse of her sitting up very straight and proud beside Swiftshade.

Firestar stepped back and Blackstar took his place. He had taken over the leadership of ShadowClan after the death of Tigerstar. Under his leadership ShadowClan was trusted more than before, especially since he had a good relationship with Needlepaw, the Shadowclan cat from the future. The silver tabby was currently sitting beside Alderpaw and Sparkpaw, around them was Dawnflower of Riverclan and Gorseheart of Windclan. A little ways away from Gorseheart was a dark gray, almost black, tom with blue eyes. His eyes were fixed on the leaders, and Leafpaw thought those blue eyes seemed rather familiar, but she couldn’t figure out why.

“ShadowClan is strong and prey is plentiful,” Blackstar announced. “The heat of greenleaf has dried up part of the marshes on our territory, but we still have plenty of water to drink.”

His glance raked defiantly around the clearing, and Leafpaw reflected that even if ShadowClan had less than a single raindrop left in their territory, Blackstar was unlikely to admit as much to the Gathering. Tallstar flicked his tail at Leopardstar, inviting her to speak, but she drew back, leaving the next place to him. The WindClan leader hesitated for a moment, and Leafpaw saw that his eyes were clouded with worry.

“Blackstar spoke truly of the heat of greenleaf,” he began. “It has been many days since the forest saw rain, and the moorland streams on WindClan’s territory have been scorched away completely this last quarter moon. We have no water at all.”

“But the river borders your territory,” a cat called out from the shadows beneath the Great Rock; craning her neck to see, Leafpaw recognized Russetfur, the ShadowClan deputy.

“The river runs through a deep, sheer-sided gorge for the whole length of our border,” Tallstar replied. “It’s too dangerous to go down there. Warriors have tried, and Onewhisker fell, though thank StarClan he was not hurt. Our kits and elders cannot manage the climb. They are suffering badly, and I fear that some of the younger kits might die.”

“Can’t your kits and elders chew grass for the moisture?” another cat suggested.

Tallstar shook his head. 

“The grass is parched. I tell you, there is no water anywhere on our territory.” Turning with clear reluctance to the RiverClan leader, he meowed, “Leopardstar, in the name of StarClan I must ask that you let us come into your territory to drink from the river there.”

Leopardstar came to stand beside the WindClan leader, her dappled golden fur rippling in the moonlight. 

“The water in the river is low,” she warned. “We have not escaped the effects of this drought in my Clan.”

“But there is far more than you need,” Tallstar responded, desperation creeping into his tone.

Leopardstar nodded. 

“That is true.” Coming to the very edge of the rock, she looked down into the clearing and asked, “What do my warriors think? Stonefur?”

The RiverClan deputy rose to his paws, but before he could speak one of his Clan mates cried out, 

“We can’t trust them! Let WindClan set one paw over our border, and they’ll be taking our prey as well as our water.” the black tom from before shot a furious look at the speaker.

Leafpaw could see the speaker, a smoky black tom, sitting a few fox-lengths away, but she did not recognize him.

“That’s Blackclaw,” Feathertail murmured into her ear.

“He’s loyal to the Clan, but . . .” She trailed off, obviously unwilling to say anything bad about her Clan mate. Mistyfoot turned and fixed Blackclaw with a clear blue stare. 

“You forget the times when RiverClan has needed help from other Clans,” she meowed. “If they had not helped us then, we would not be here today.” To Leopardstar she added, “I say we should allow this. We have water to spare.” Stonefur nodded.

“Mistyfoot speaks truly. I also agree that we should allow this.”

The clearing fell silent as the cats waited for Leopardstar to make her decision. 

“Very well, Tallstar,” she meowed at last. “Your Clan may enter our territory to drink from the river just below the Twoleg bridge. But you will come no farther, and you do not have leave to take prey.”

Tallstar bowed his head, and Leafpaw heard the relief in his voice as he replied, 

“Leopardstar, RiverClan has our thanks, from the oldest elder to the youngest kit. You have saved our Clan.”

“The drought will not last forever, and you will have water in your territory soon. We will discuss this again at the next Gathering,” Leopardstar meowed.

“I’m sure they will,” Graystripe muttered darkly. “If I know Leopardstar, she’ll make WindClan pay for that water somehow.”

“Let us hope that StarClan have sent rain by then,”

Tallstar meowed, stepping back to let Leopardstar address the Gathering.

Leafpaw’s interest quickened as she wondered if they were about to hear what had been troubling Mistyfoot and Stonefur earlier, but at first the RiverClan leader’s news was unremarkable: a litter of kits had been born, and Twolegs had left rubbish by the river, attracting rats that had been killed by Blackclaw and Stormfur. Graystripe looked ready to burst with pride when his son was praised, while Stormfur scuffed the ground with his paws, his ears flat with embarrassment.

At last Leopardstar meowed, 

“Some of you have met our apprentices Hawkpaw, Mothpaw, and Frogpaw. They are now warriors, and will be known as Hawkfrost, Mothwing, and Frogspeck.”

The cats around Leafpaw craned their necks to see the warriors the RiverClan leader had named; Leafpaw turned to look too, but she could not distinguish them among the throng. The traditional welcoming murmur for all new warriors broke out at the announcement, but to Leafpaw’s surprise, it was mingled with a few disconcerting growls, which she realized were coming from RiverClan cats.

Leopardstar glared down from the rock and stilled the noise with a flick of her tail. 

“Do I hear protests?” she spat out angrily. “Very well, I will tell you everything, to stop rumors flying once and for all.

“Six moons ago, at the beginning of newleaf, a rogue cat came to RiverClan, with her three kits. Her name was Sasha, and the birth of her kits had weakened her so much that she needed help with hunting and caring for them. For a time she thought of joining the Clan, and we would have welcomed her as a warrior, but in the end she decided the warrior code was not the way of life for her. She left us, but her kits chose to stay.”

Needlepaw blinked, reconizing the name Sasha. That was the she-cat that was….getting  _ close _ to Tigerstar….and if her kits’ names are Hawkfrost and Mothwing, then-

A flood of protest surged up from the cats around the rock, interrupting her thoughts. One glance at Alderpaw and Sparkpaw though, assured her that her friends had also come to the same conclusion. Needlepaw winced as she spotted Lionblaze and Jayfeather standing stock-still as they reconized Hawkfrost. The two toms seemed to be struggling with themselves. Lionblaze was flexing his claws, amber eyes burning as he longed to confront his sister’s murderer. Jayfeather’s blind blue gaze was locked onto Hawkfrost’s dark tabby pelt, his blue eyes, normally a light blue, were now dark with rage. One voice then rose clear above the yowling. 

“Rogue cats? Taken into a Clan? Has RiverClan gone mad?”

Leopardstar made no attempt to quiet the clamor, only staring stonily down until it died away. 

“They are strong young cats and they have learned their warrior skills well,” she meowed when she could make herself heard. “They have sworn to defend their Clan at the cost of their lives, just as all of you have sworn.” With a glance at Blackstar, she added,

“Were not some of ShadowClan’s warriors rogues once?”

Before he could reply, her gaze swiveled to Firestar. 

“And if a kittypet can become Clan leader, and” she nodded to Icefoot. “A former Bloodclan cat can be a warrior, why should rogues not be welcome as warriors?” Icefoot and Firestar made eye contact, and Icefoot jerked his head to Leopardstar, clearly saying  _ She’s got a point _ .

“She has a point there,” Graystripe admitted, echoing Icefoot’s thoughts.

Firestar dipped his head toward Leopardstar. 

“True,” he mewed. “I will be glad to see these cats fulfill their promise as loyal members of their Clan.”

Leopardstar nodded in reply; his words had clearly appeased her and began to speak again.

“Mothwing has chosen a special place within our Clan,” she explained. “Mudfur, our medicine cat, is growing old, and the time has come for him to take an apprentice.”

This time her voice was drowned completely by the howls of protest. The three other leaders on top of the Great Rock drew together for an anxious conference. Tallstar was clearly unwilling to speak out after Leopardstar had agreed to give him access to the river, and in the end it was Blackstar who replied. 

“I’m ready to admit that a rogue can learn enough of our code to become a warrior,” he rasped. “But a medicine cat? What do rogues know of StarClan? Will StarClan even accept her?”

Voices all around the clearing echoed Blackstar’s questions. At the base of the rock an old brown tom heaved himself to his paws and waited for quiet; it was Mudfur, the RiverClan medicine cat.

As the noise died down, he raised his voice. 

“Mothwing is a talented young cat,” he meowed. Jayfeather nodded his head, agreeing. “But because she was born a rogue, I am waiting for a sign from StarClan that she is the right medicine cat for RiverClan. Once I have received that sign, I will take her to Mothermouth at the half-moon time. If I act without the blessing of StarClan, then you can all complain—but not until then.” He flopped back down again, his whiskers twitching irritably. Alderpaw leaned over and whispered to Sparkpaw and Needlepaw;

“He and Jayfeather would get along great.” the two she-cat quickly stifled their mrrows of amusement.

The crowd had parted so that Leafpaw could make out the young cat crouched beside him. She was startlingly beautiful, with glowing amber eyes in a triangular face, and a long golden pelt with rippling tabby stripes.

“Is that Mothwing?” she whispered to Feathertail.

“That’s right.” Feathertail gave Leafpaw’s ear a quick lick. “When the leaders have finished I’ll take you to meet her, if you like. She’s quite friendly, once you get to know her.”

Leafpaw nodded eagerly. She was sure that Mudfur would soon receive the sign that Mothwing could be accepted. There were no other medicine cat apprentices in the forest, and she looked forward to making friends with another one—someone she could talk to about her training and all the mysteries of StarClan that were slowly being revealed to her.

The protests had died down after Mudfur’s speech, and as Leopardstar had no more to say Tallstar brought the meeting to an end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hawkfrost: *Breathing*
> 
> Jayfeather & Lionblaze: You insult our sister's memory!!!!!


	6. Firestar Admits To Having Crisises All The Time (‘Cause He Definitely Does)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! We get to see some Hawkfrost and Frogspeck here. And Firestar & Icefoot! Love those bois!

As the Gathering drew to a close and the cats began to separate into their own Clans, Brambleclaw looked around for his sister, Tawnypelt. He had not seen her since they arrived at the Gathering, and wondered where she had gone off to.  _ Maybe she’s hanging with Snowflight somewhere, _ he thought. As he glanced around, looking for Snowflight’s easy to find bright white pelt, he saw Firestar halt in front of a young tabby tom who was sitting near Mudfur.

“Congratulations, Hawkfrost,” Firestar meowed. “I’m sure you’ll make a fine warrior.”

_ So that’s Hawkfrost, _ Brambleclaw thought with interest, pricking up his ears.  _ The rogue-born RiverClan cat. _

“Thank you, Firestar,” the new warrior replied. “I’ll do my best.”

“I’m sure you will.” Firestar touched Hawkfrost on the shoulder with the tip of his tail in a gesture of encouragement. “Pay no attention to all the fuss. It’ll all be forgotten in a moon.”

He walked on, and Hawkfrost raised his head to look after him. Brambleclaw couldn’t quite suppress a shiver when he glimpsed the tom’s eyes, an eerie ice blue that seemed to stare through the ThunderClan leader as if he were made of smoke. Icefoot slid out of the crowd and joined his brother, pulling him aside for a quite conversation as Brambleclaw murmured aloud;

“Great StarClan! I wouldn’t like to meet him in battle.”

“Meet who?”

Brambleclaw spun around to see Tawnypelt standing behind him. 

“There you are!” he exclaimed. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Answering her question, he added,

“Hawkfrost. He looks dangerous.”

Tawnypelt shrugged. 

“You’re dangerous. I’m dangerous. It’s what warriors are for. This whole full-moon thing could be broken by the slash of a claw—and has been before.”

Brambleclaw nodded. 

“True.” Brambleclaw hesitated, thinking about his dream from before. He hadn’t payed much attention to ir before, but he felt the urge to confide in someone. True, he could tell Firestar, or Cinderpelt, but he had a feeling that he shouldn’t tell them. Who better than his sister? “Look, there’s something I wanted to ask you about.” Brambleclaw sat down as he continued. “The other night I had this weird dream…” Tawnypelt tilted her head, curious. “I was in a clearing in the forest, but I didn’t recognize exactly where it was. There was a cat there, Bluestar.” Tawnypelt’s mouth opened slightly.

“What did she say to you?”Tawnypelt whispered, green eyes wide.

“She told me that there was some great trouble coming to the forest, and a new prophecy had to be fulfilled. I had been chosen to meet with three other cats at the new moon, and listen to what midnight would tell us.”

Tawnypelt blinked and the tabby saw a shiver pass through her tortoiseshell fur. At last she meowed, 

“Have you told any other cat about your dream?”

Brambleclaw shook his head. 

“I didn’t know what to make of it. To be honest, I thought it was due to something I ate. I mean, why would StarClan send a vision like that to me, instead of to Firestar or Cinderpelt?”

“I thought the same just now,” his sister agreed. “But if there are three others, and no one in Thunderclan has said anything, then...could they be in the other clans?”

Brambleclaw glanced around the clearing. The Gathering was thinning out as cats began to leave, and in spite of the protests over Hawkfrost and Mothwing the general mood was good-humored. No other cats looked as if they had received doom-laden dreams. What possible trouble could be coming—and if it did, what could they do about it?

“If the dream was true, then three other cats should have had it,” Brambleclaw replied. “It makes sense that there would be one from each of the other two Clans. We should try to find out who.”

“Oh, yes.” Tawnypelt sounded scornful. “Are you going to walk into WindClan, RiverClan, or Shadowclan territory and ask every cat if they had a weird dream? I wouldn’t. They would think we were mad, if they didn’t claw our ears off first.”

“What do you suggest, then?”

“You’re all supposed to meet at the new moon,” Tawnypelt mewed thoughtfully. “Bluestar didn’t tell you where, but it must be here at Fourtrees. There isn’t anywhere else where cats from four different Clans can get together.”

“So you think I should come here at the new moon?”

“Unless you can think of a better idea.”

Brambleclaw shook his head. 

“I only hope the other cats do the same. If . . . if the dream is real, of course.”

He broke off as he heard a cat calling his and Tawnypelt’s name, and turned to see Firestar standing a short distance away, with the other ThunderClan cats gathered around him. 

“It’s time to go,” Firestar said.

“Coming!” 

Turning back to Tawnypelt he meowed urgently, “At the new moon, then. Say nothing to any cat. And trust StarClan the others will come.”

Tawnypelt nodded and hurried after Brambleclaw to join Firestar.

Trouble was coming, and Brambleclaw did not know what to do about it, nor understand how midnight could tell him anything.

_ Oh, StarClan _ , he mewed silently. _ I hope you know what you’re doing! _

Firestar felt a tail tap his shoulder, and turned to make eye contact with Icefoot. The black tom jerked his head off to one side, and the siblings slid into the shadows, obsuring them from sight. Firestar tilted his head.

“Did you want to talk to me about something?” the Thunderclan leader asked.

“Yes,” Icefoot meowed. His eyes slid to where Firestar had just been talking to Hawkfrost. The Riverclan tom had now been joined by a black tom with amber eyes. Familiar amber eyes. Firestar realized that the black tom must be Hawkfrost’s brother, Frogspeck. He remembered seeing the toms and their sister, Mothwing, around during Gatherings, sometimes seeing them along the border as well. Frogspeck meowed quietly to his brother, and gestured over to where Stonefur and Leopardstar were talking with Graystripe. Hawkfrost nodded and the two toms padded over to their leader and deputy. Firestar glanced back at Icefoot, who was watching Hawkfrost through narrowed eyes. Firestar rolled his and jabbed at his brother with a paw.

“You’re not going to hold a grudge against someone who hasn’t done anything are you?” Firestar had confided in Icefoot about what Alderpaw had told him about Hawkfrost. The dark red leader admitted it was difficult to talk to a cat you knew may try to rip all of your lives from you one day, but he did his best to maintain a friendly manner towards the Riverclan warrior. Icefoot flicked his ear.

“No…” Icefoot flicked his tail. “Okay, maybe. But you  _ know _ I don’t like it when I hear about someone trying to hurt my siblings. Even if it might not happen, I still don’t like it.” Firestar brushed his side against Icefoot’s.

“We don’t know if it will happen.” Firestar glanced back at the siblings. “After all, maybe having his littermate here will change him.” Firestar was told by Lionblaze that Hawkfrost had a brother, besides Brambleclaw, who had drowned. Firestar realized that this time around, Tadpole, now Frogspeck, was alive. The flame-colored tom silently hoped that Frogspeck’s presence will help Hawkfrost from doing the bad he had done, or might do. The tabby warrior had much to give to his clan, and spirling down the same path Tigerstar had done would do him no good in the long run.  _ Plus, _ Firestar reflected.  _ It would be nice to  _ _ not _ _ get almost assassinated. _

Icefoot sighed.

“You’ve got a point.” he muttered. He gave his brother a sideways glance. “How come you’re so calm? I it were me, I would have snapped the moment I saw him.” Firestar stretched.

“Don’t worry,” Firestar meowed, amused. “I may appear calm, but I assure you, I nearly always have a crisis going on inside my head.” Icefoot snorted, poking his little brother with his white paw.

“Now that’s the truth.” he meowed dryly. Firestar mock-glared at his sibling and flicked his tail across Icefoot’s face. “Hey!” he yelpped. “That was uncalled for!” Firestar purred, amusement glittering in his eyes.

“That what you get.” he teased. The dark red tom spotted Brambleclaw and Tawnypelt talking with each other and called their names.

“It’s time to go,”

“Coming!” Brambleclaw meowed. He turned and whispered a few words to his sister, and the two dashed over to Firestar.  _ Wonder what they were talking about. _ Firestar thought as Thunderclan gathered around him.  _ They looked pretty worried. Whatever it is, I hope it’s nothing too bad. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Icefoot, sees Hawkfrost: HE MUST PERISH IN THE DEEPEST PITS OF HELL!!!
> 
> Firestar: Icefoot, get some C H I L L


	7. Lightningfur: Match-Maker Supreme

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LOL, Lightningfur really just popped into my head here, and I just took it and ran!

Ever since the Gathering Brambleclaw’s sleep had been disturbed, and when he woke each morning he struggled with the foreboding that something terrible had happened to the camp during the night. But everything seemed as peaceful as it had been the day before. 

This morning, Whitepaw and Shrewpaw were practicing their fighting moves outside the apprentices’ den. Mousefur emerged from the gorse tunnel with a squirrel clamped in her jaws, followed by her apprentice, Spiderpaw, and Rainwhisker, who also carried fresh-kill. Firestar and Graystripe were talking together at the base of the Highrock, Icefoot and Lightningfur with Squirrelpaw and Dustpelt listening close by. Firestar beckoned Brambleclaw over with his tail. 

“Are you up for an extra patrol?” he asked. “I want to check the border with ShadowClan, in case they get the idea of coming across here to find water.”

“But Blackstar said that his Clan has all the water they need,” Brambleclaw reminded him.

Firestar’s ears twitched. 

“True. But we don’t necessarily believe what Clan leaders say at a Gathering. Besides, I’ve

never trusted Blackstar. If he thinks we have richer prey in our territory, he’ll send warriors in to help themselves, for sure.”

Graystripe growled agreement. 

“ShadowClan have been quiet for too many moons. If you ask me, it’s about time they started making trouble.”

“I just thought—” Brambleclaw stopped, embarrassed to be seen objecting to his leader’s order, and amazed that he could see a possibility Firestar didn’t seem to have considered.

“Go on,” Firestar prompted.

Brambleclaw took a deep breath. He couldn’t get out of this now, in spite of the green glare that Squirrelpaw was giving him for daring to disagree with her father. 

“I just think that if there is trouble, it’s more likely to come from WindClan,” he ventured. “If their territory is as dry as Tallstar said, then they’re bound to be short of prey.”

“WindClan!” Squirrelpaw burst out. “Brambleclaw, are you completely mouse-brained? RiverClan gave WindClan permission to drink at the river, so if they steal prey from anywhere they’ll steal it from RiverClan.”

“And that strip of RiverClan territory is really narrow between the river and our border,” Brambleclaw retorted. “If WindClan do hunt, the prey could easily cross into our territory.”

“You think you’re so clever!” Squirrelpaw sprang to her paws, her fur bristling. “Firestar ordered you to check the ShadowClan border, so you should do what you’re told.”

“Of course, you’ve never disobeyed a warrior, have you?” Dustpelt put in dryly. Lightningfur twitched his whisker, amused at Dustpelt’s comment.

Squirrelpaw ignored her mentor. 

“ShadowClan have always caused trouble,” she persisted. “But we’re friends with WindClan now.”

Brambleclaw found himself getting angrier and angrier. Of course he didn’t want to question Firestar’s authority. Firestar was the hero who had saved the forest from the terrible ambitions of Tigerstar and the rogue cats who fol- lowed him. There would never be another cat like him. Yet Brambleclaw really believed that ThunderClan should take a possible threat from WindClan seriously. He would have liked to discuss it properly with Firestar, like they used to when he was the leader’s apprentice, but that was impossible when Squirrelpaw insisted on arguing with everything he said.

“You’re the one who thinks she knows it all,” he spat. “Will you just listen for one moment?”

He ducked to avoid her paw as she lashed at him, claws unsheathed, and his last scrap of self-control deserted him. Falling into a crouch, he got ready to spring at her, his tail twitching back and forth. If Squirrelpaw wanted a fight, she could have one!

But before either of the young cats could attack, Firestar pushed in between them. 

“That’s enough!” he snarled.

Brambleclaw froze in dismay. Straightening up, he gave his chest an anxious lick and murmured, 

“Sorry, Firestar.”

Squirrelpaw stayed silent, giving him a mutinous glare, until Dustpelt prompted her. 

“Well?”

“Sorry,” Squirrelpaw muttered, and instantly spoiled her apology by adding, “But he’s still a mouse-brain.”

“Actually, I think he’s got a point, don’t you?” Dustpelt meowed to Firestar. “I agree that ShadowClan have always been trouble and always will be, but if WindClan happen to spot a juicy vole or a squirrel on our side of the border, don’t you think they might be tempted?” Icefoot flicked his tail.

“I agree.” he meowed with a nod.

“You could be right,” Firestar conceded. “In that case, Brambleclaw, you’d better take a patrol up the RiverClan border as far as Fourtrees. Dustpelt, you and Squirrelpaw can go as well.” His eyes narrowed as he glanced from his daughter to Brambleclaw and back again. “And you  _ will _ get along with each other, or I’ll want to know why.”

“Yes, Firestar,” Brambleclaw replied, relieved that he had gotten off so lightly for nearly flattening Squirrelpaw.

“That’s two patrols, then,” Graystripe mewed cheerfully. “I’ll find some more cats to go with me up the ShadowClan side. Lightningfur, Icefoot? Fancy coming with?” He jumped to his paws and vanished into the warriors’ den after they nodded.

Firestar nodded to Dustpelt, giving him authority over the patrol, and padded away to his den on the other side of the Highrock, Icefoot and Lightningfur followed him as the patrol left. Firestar sighed as he watched Squirrelpaw’s tail disappear through the tunnel.

“How in Starclan’s name did they get together?” He meowed. Lightningfur mrrowed with laughter.

“That was halarious! I’m looking forward to watching them.” her eyes were gleaming.

“Oh, great,” Firestar meowed. “My sister is now a matchmaker.” Lightningfur prodded her brother.

“Yes. Yes I am.” she meowed. “And my next target….Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw.” Icefoot rolled his eyes.

“My the spirits have mercy on their souls.” the black tom muttered to Firestar, who nodded while staring at his sister.

“Starclan help us all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brambleclaw & Squirrelpaw: *Intense Arguing*
> 
> Lightingfur: I sHiP iT!
> 
> Firestar & Icefoot: Oh no.........here we go........


	8. Crowpaw Has Anger Issues (As If We Don’t Know That Already)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crowpaw time! I'm looking forward to writing my LeafCrow stuff..... :-}
> 
> Also, alternate title:
> 
> Dramatic Entrance 101: Featuring Dustpelt

As they drew closer to Fourtrees and passed the Twoleg bridge, all three cats paused to scan the slope. The breeze had dropped and the air was still and heavy with the scent of cats.

“WindClan and RiverClan,” Brambleclaw mewed quietly to Dustpelt.

The older warrior nodded. 

“But they’re allowed to go down to the river,” he reminded him. “There’s no sign that

they’ve crossed our border.”

“So there!” Squirrelpaw couldn’t resist adding.

Brambleclaw shrugged, telling himself that he would rather be proved wrong. He didn’t  _ want _ trouble with WindClan.

Dustpelt was just moving off again toward Fourtrees when Brambleclaw caught another scent—WindClan again, but much stronger and fresher than before. Not daring to call out, he signaled frantically to Dustpelt with his tail, angling his ears in the direction where he thought the scent was coming from. Dustpelt crouched down in the long grass and signaled to his companions to do the same.

_ Please, StarClan, _ Brambleclaw begged,  _ don’t let Squirrelpaw make a smart remark! _

But the apprentice remained silent, flattening herself to the ground and staring at the clumps of bracken that Brambleclaw had indicated. For a while, the only sound was the slap and murmur of the river nearby. Then there was a dry, rustling sound, and a mottled brown cat peered out of the bracken before creeping into the open a couple of tail-lengths on the ThunderClan side of the border. Brambleclaw recognized Mudclaw,a Windclan warrior. He was followed by Onewhisker, Gorseheart, and a smallish dark gray cat Brambleclaw had never seen before—an apprentice, he guessed—carrying a vole in his jaws.

Glancing back, Mudclaw murmured, “Head for the border. I can smell ThunderClan.”

“I’m not surprised,” Dustpelt growled, rising up out of the grass.  **(Dramatic Entrance, Dustpelt. Very Dramatic)**

Mudclaw recoiled and drew his lips back in a snarl. At once Brambleclaw leaped up to stand beside his Clan mate, and Squirrelpaw dashed up to her mentor’s other side.

“What are you doing on our territory?” Dustpelt demanded. “As if I need to ask.”

“We’re not stealing prey,” Mudclaw retorted.

“Then what’s that?” Squirrelpaw asked, flicking her tail toward the vole that the apprentice was carrying.

“It’s not a ThunderClan vole,” Onewhisker explained. An old friend of Firestar’s, he looked thoroughly embarrassed to be caught like this on ThunderClan territory. Gorseheart, to, look embarrassed. “It ran across the border from RiverClan.”

“Even if that’s true, you’re stealing it from RiverClan,” Brambleclaw pointed out. “You’re allowed to drink from the river, not to take prey.”

The gray-black apprentice dropped the vole and launched himself across the grass at Brambleclaw. 

“Mind your own business!” he spat.

He barreled into Brambleclaw and knocked him over; Brambleclaw let out a surprised yowl as the apprentice’s teeth closed in the loose skin on his neck. Twisting his body, he managed to score his claws down the other cat’s shoulder, and felt strong hind paws scrabbling at his belly. With a screech of fury he tore his neck free and dived for his opponent’s throat.

As his teeth found their mark, Brambleclaw caught a glimpse of Gorseheart aiming a blow with his paw. He braced himself to fight both cats at once, before he realized that the WindClan warrior had batted the apprentice away and was standing over him, rage smoldering in his eyes.

“That’s enough, Crowpaw!” he snarled. “Attacking a ThunderClan warrior when we’re trespassing on their territory? What next?”

Crowpaw shot him a furious look through narrowed eyes.

“He called us thieves!”

“And he was right, wasn’t he?” Onewhisker meowed, dispprovel in his eyes. He turned to Dustpelt, who was standing a few fox-lengths away. As Brambleclaw scrambled to his feet he saw that the ThunderClan warrior had thrust himself in front of Squirrelpaw, preventing her from joining in the fight.

“I’m sorry, Dustpelt,” Onewhisker went on. “It is a RiverClan vole, and I know we shouldn’t have taken it, but there’s hardly any prey in our own territory. Our elders and kits are hungry, and—” He stopped as if he thought he had already said too much. “What will you do now?”

“The vole’s between you and RiverClan,” Dustpelt meowed coldly. “I see no need to tell Firestar about this—unless it happens again. Just get out of our territory, and stay out.”

Mudclaw nudged Crowpaw to his paws. The WindClan warrior still looked furious at being found out, and Brambleclaw noticed that he did not add his apology to Onewhisker’s, unlike Gorseheart who whispered a quick ‘sorry’. Without a word, Mudclaw headed for the border, with Onewhisker and Gorseheart close behind him. Crowpaw hesitated; then with a defiant glance he snatched up the vole and streaked after his Clan mates.

“I suppose we’ll never hear the last of that!” Squirrelpaw spat at Brambleclaw. Her eyes glittered with annoyance. “Happy now you’ve been proved right?”

“I didn’t say a word!” Brambleclaw protested.

Squirrelpaw didn’t reply, but stalked off with her tail in the air. Brambleclaw looked after her with a sigh. He would much rather the incident had never happened. His fur prickled with the sense of impending disaster. Clans were becoming so thirsty and desperate that even decent cats like Onewhisker and Gorseheart were prepared to trespass, steal, and lie. Heat lay over the forest with the weight of a huge, choking pelt, and it seemed as if every living thing was waiting for a storm to break. Could this be the trouble that StarClan had foretold?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mudclaw: Quick, pass that bush!
> 
> Dustpelt, popping up: NONE SHALL PASSATH WHILE I STILLTH DRAW BREATH!
> 
> Crowpaw: *Lots of bottled up emotions* I CHANNEL MY ANGER IN PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE RESPONSES!!


	9. The NEW Prophecy Gang (Author, Once Again, Breaks The Fourth Wall)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And......here I go breaking the fourth wall once more. XD

When Brambleclaw reached Fourtrees the clearing was empty. The sides of the Great Rock glimmered with starshine, and the leaves of the four oak trees rustled gently overhead. Brambleclaw shivered. He was so used to seeing the hollow full of cats that it seemed more daunting than before: so much bigger, with so many unexplained shadows. He could almost imagine that he had stepped into the mystical world of StarClan.

He padded across the clearing and sat at the base of the Great Rock. His ears were pricked to catch the smallest sound, and every nerve from ears to tail-tip was stretched with anticipation. Who would the other cats be? As moments slipped by, his excitement was replaced by anxiety. No one was there yet. At last he saw movement in the bushes about halfway up the side of the hollow. Brambleclaw tensed. The breeze was blowing away from him, so he could not pick up the scent; from the direction it was coming it could have been either a RiverClan or WindClan cat.

He followed the movement with his eyes as far as a clump of bracken at the bottom of the slope. The fronds waved wildly, and a cat stepped into the clearing. Brambleclaw stared, frozen for a heartbeat, then sprang to his paws, his neck fur bristling in fury.

“Squirrelpaw!”

Brambleclaw stalked stiff-legged across the clearing until he stood face to face with the apprentice. “Just what do you think you’re doing here?” he hissed.

“Hi, Brambleclaw.” Squirrelpaw tried to sound calm, but her sparkling eyes betrayed her excitement. “I couldn’t sleep, and I saw you leaving, so I’ve been following you.” She gave a little purr of delight. “I was good, wasn’t I? You never knew I was there, all the way through the forest.”

Sparkpaw stifled a giggle as she watched her parents argue. The orange tabby was hidden up in a tree, and had followed Squirrelpaw to Fourtrees when she spotted her mother sneaking out.

“Why can’t you mind your own business?”

“It’s any cat’s business when a Clan warrior sneaks out of camp at night.”

“I wasn’t sneaking,”

“Oh, no?” Squirrelpaw sounded scornful. “You leave camp, come straight up here to Fourtrees, and sit waiting for ages, looking like you expect every warrior in the forest to jump out

at you. Don’t tell me you’re just enjoying the beautiful night.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything.” Brambleclaw’s voice was growing desperate “This has got nothing to do with you, Squirrelpaw. Why don’t you just go home?”

“No.” Squirrelpaw sat down and curled her tail around her front paws, glaring at Brambleclaw with wide green eyes. “I’m not leaving until I find out what’s going on.”

Brambleclaw let out a snarl of sheer frustration, only to jump when a voice growled behind him, 

“What’s going on here?”

It was Rowanclaw, slipping out from behind the Great Rock. He padded across the clearing and narrowed his eyes at Squirrelpaw. “I thought it was  _ one _ cat from each clan?”

“She saw me leaving and followed me.” Brambleclaw meowed.

“And it’s a good thing I did.” Squirrelpaw stood up and met Rowanclaw’s gaze, her ears flat against her head. “You creep out at night and come up here to meet a ShadowClan warrior! What’s Firestar going to think about that when I tell him?” Sparkpaw was curious. Just what was going on?

“Listen,” Brambleclaw meowed urgently. “We’re not plotting anything.”

“Then why all the secrecy?” Squirrelpaw demanded. Brambleclaw was searching for a reply when Rowanclaw interrupted him, flicking his tail toward the slope. 

“Look.”

Sparkpaw caught a glimpse of something gray moving among the bushes, and a heartbeat later Feathertail and Stormfur stepped into the clearing. They glanced around warily, but as soon as Feathertail spotted the other cats she raced across the clearing toward them.

“I was right!” she exclaimed, skidding to a halt in front of Brambleclaw and the two she-cats. Her eyes widened, beginning to look puzzled and a little daunted. “Did you have the dream as well? Is it the four of us?”

“Rowanclaw and I have had it,” Brambleclaw replied, at the same moment Squirrelpaw asked, 

“What dream?”

“The dream from StarClan, telling us that there’s trouble ahead.” Feathertail sounded more uncertain still, and her gaze flicked tensely from cat to cat. Sparkpaw blinked. Was this...the journey to the sun-drown-place beginning?

“Did you both have the dream?” Brambleclaw asked, glancing at Stormfur as the RiverClan warrior caught up with his sister.

Stormfur shook his head. 

“No, only Feathertail.”

“It scared me so much,” Feathertail confessed. “I couldn’t eat or sleep for thinking about it. Stormfur knew something was wrong, and he pestered me so much that I told him what I’d dreamed. We decided that I should come to Fourtrees tonight, at the new moon, and Stormfur wouldn’t let me come by myself.” She gave her brother’s ear a friendly lick. “He . . . he didn’t want me to be in danger. But I’m not, am I? I mean, we all know each other.”

“Don’t be so quick to trust every cat,” Stormfur growled. “I don’t like meeting cats from other Clans in secret like this. It’s not what the warrior code tells us.”

“But we have each had a message from StarClan, telling us to come,” Rowanclaw pointed out. “Nightstar came to me.”

“Bluestar came to me.” Brambleclaw meowed.

“And I saw Oakheart,” Feathertail meowed. “He said great trouble was coming to the forest, and I would have to meet with three other cats at the new moon to hear what midnight tells us.”

“I was told that, too,” Rowanclaw confirmed. With a twitch of his ears at Stormfur he added, “I don’t much like it either, but I think we should wait and see what StarClan want.”

“At midnight, I suppose,” Stormfur meowed, glancing up at the stars. “It must be nearly that now.”

“You mean that StarClan told all of

you to meet here?” Squirrelpaw burst out. “And they say there’s trouble coming? What kind of trouble?”

“We don’t know,” Feathertail replied. “At least, Oakheart didn’t tell me. . . .” She trailed off, looking flustered, but Brambleclaw and Rowanclaw shook their heads to show that their dream-cats hadn’t shared this with them either.

Stormfur’s eyes narrowed. 

“Your Clan mate hasn’t had the dream,” he mewed to Brambleclaw. “What’s she doing here?”

“You didn’t have it either.” Squirrelpaw wasn’t afraid to stand up to the RiverClan warrior. “I’ve as much right to be here as you.”

“Except I didn’t invite you,” Brambleclaw growled.

“Chase her off, then,” Rowanclaw suggested. “I’ll help.”

Squirrelpaw took a step toward the ShadowClan warrior, her fur fluffed out and her tail bristling. 

“Just lay one paw on me . . .”

Brambleclaw sighed. 

“If we chase her off now she’ll go straight to Firestar,” he meowed. “She’s heard pretty much everything, so she might as well stay.”

Squirrelpaw gave a disdainful sniff and sat down again. She drew her tongue down her paw and calmly began to wash her face. A quiet snicker drew Sparkpaw’s attention to beneath her.

“Needlepaw!” Sparkpaw hissed. The silver tabby jerked her head up. “Up here!” Needlepaw quietly climbed up to where Sparkpaw was at and flicked her ear in greeting.

“Honestly, Brambleclaw,” Rowanclaw growled. “You should have been more careful. Letting an apprentice track you!” Sparkpaw and Needlepaw exchanged amused looks.

“What’s going on?” A new voice came from behind them, high-pitched and aggressive. “This can’t be right—Heatherstar said there were only supposed to be four of us.”

Brambleclaw jumped and looked around. His eyes narrowed into a furious glare at the cat with smoky gray-black fur, lean limbs, and small, neat head. 

“You!” he spat.

Standing a couple of fox-lengths away was the WindClan apprentice Crowpaw.  _ Or Crowfeather as he’s known as in our time. _

“Yes, me,” he retorted, his fur bristling as if at any moment he might spring and finish off the fight.

Rowanclaw pricked his ears. “This is a WindClan cat, right?” He looked Crowpaw up and down dismissively. “Undersized specimen, isn’t he?”

“He’s an apprentice,” Brambleclaw explained, as Crowpaw drew his lips back in a snarl. “His name’s Crowpaw.”

Brambleclaw glanced at Squirrelpaw, willing her to keep silent about the incident with the vole. He wanted WindClan brought to justice over the prey stealing, but properly, at a Gathering, not by provoking a fight here. After all, what they were doing here was already a long way outside the warrior code. Squirrelpaw twitched the tip of her tail, but to Brambleclaw’s relief she said nothing.

“You had the dream too?” Feathertail asked; Brambleclaw saw the anxiety beginning to fade from her blue eyes, as if she were drawing courage from a growing certainty that the dreams were true.

Crowpaw gave her a curt nod. 

“I spoke with our leader before Tallstar, Heatherstar,” he meowed. Shee told me to meet three other cats at the new moon.”

“Then that’s one cat from each Clan,” replied Feathertail. “We’re all here.”

“Now we just have to wait for midnight,” Brambleclaw added.

“Do you know what this is about?” Crowpaw turned his back on Brambleclaw and appealed directly to Feathertail.

“If it were me,” Squirrelpaw meowed before Feathertail could reply, “I’d be a bit less quick to believe in these dreams. If there was really trouble on its way, do you think StarClan would come to you first, before the Clan leaders or medicine cats?”

“Then how do you explain it?” Brambleclaw asked, all the more defensive because he had felt exactly the same doubts that Squirrelpaw was voicing now. “Why else would we all have had the same dream?”

“Maybe you’ve all been stuffing yourselves with too much fresh-kill?” Squirrelpaw suggested.

Crowpaw whipped around with an angry hiss. 

“Who asked you, anyway?” he demanded.

“I can say what I like,” Squirrelpaw shot back at him. “I don’t need your permission. You’re not even a warrior.”

“Nor are you,” the gray-black cat snapped. “What are you doing here, anyway? You didn’t have the dream. No cat wants you here.”

Brambleclaw opened his jaws to defend Squirrelpaw. Even though he had been annoyed with her for following him, it was no business of Crowpaw’s to tell her what to do. Then he

realized that Squirrelpaw wouldn’t thank him; with her ready tongue she was quite capable of defending herself.  **(This, my dear BrambleSquirrel haters, is why BrambleSquirrel is great. Bramble knows Squirrel can take care of herself, and that he doesn’t need to fight her battles for her.)**

“I don’t see them falling over themselves to welcome you, either,” she growled. Crowpaw spat, his ears flattened and his eyes glaring fury.

“There’s no need to get angry,” Feathertail began.

The small black cat ignored her. Lashing his tail from side to side, he sprang at Squirrelpaw. An instant later Brambleclaw leaped too, barreling into him and rolling him over before his claws could score down her flank.  **(Though, he does sometimes succumb to his protective instincts. But to be fair, who doesn’t?)**

“Back off,” he hissed, pinning Crowpaw down with a paw on his neck. He could hardly believe that the WindClan apprentice would start a fight now, when they were waiting for a message from StarClan, and linked in the prophecy through their dreams. If StarClan had really chosen them for a mysterious destiny, they would surely not fulfill it by shedding one another’s blood.  **(Wise words Bramble, wise words. Learning from Fire I presume?)**

The light of battle died from Crowpaw’s eyes, though he still looked furious. Brambleclaw let him get up; he turned his back and started to groom his ruffled fur.

“Thanks for nothing!” Brambleclaw was hardly surprised to see that Squirrelpaw was glaring at him with just as much hostility as Crowpaw. “I can fight my own battles.”

Brambleclaw let out a hiss of exasperation. 

“You can’t start fighting here. There are more important things to think about. And if these dreams are true, then StarClan wants the Clans to work together.”  **(Plus, Bramble stopped the fighting for this reason as well.)**

He glanced around the clearing, half hoping that a cat from StarClan would appear to tell them what they were supposed to be doing, before a fight broke out that he couldn’t stop.  **(Ha ha ha! Oh, Bramble. You don’t know how cryptic Starlcan can be...yet)**

But Silverpelt shone on a clearing empty of any cats but themselves. He could smell nothing but the ordinary night scents of growing plants and distant prey, and hear nothing but the sigh of wind through the branches of the oaks.

“It must be after midnight now,” Rowanclaw meowed, gazing up at the sky. “I don’t think StarClan are coming.”

Feathertail turned to look all around the clearing, her blue eyes once more wide with anxiety. 

“But they have to come! Why did we all have the same dream, if it wasn’t true?”

“Then why is nothing happening?” Rowanclaw challenged her. “Here we are, meeting at the new moon, just as StarClan told us. We can’t do any more.”

“We were fools to come.” Crowpaw gave them all another unfriendly stare. “The dreams meant nothing. There’s no prophecy, no danger—and even if there were, the warrior code should be enough to protect the forest.” He began to stalk across the clearing to the slope on the WindClan side, and his last words were flung over his shoulder. “I’m going back to camp.”

“Good riddance!” Squirrelpaw yowled after him.

He ignored her, and a moment later had disappeared into the bushes.

“Rowanclaw’s right. Nothing is going to happen,” Stormfur sighed. “We might as well go too. Come on, Feathertail.”

“Just a minute,” mewed Brambleclaw. “Maybe we got it wrong—maybe StarClan was angry because of the fighting. We can’t just pretend that nothing has happened, that none of us had those dreams. We ought to decide what we’re going to do next.”

“What can we do?” Rowanclaw asked. He flicked his tail toward Squirrelpaw. “Maybe she’s right. Why would StarClan choose us and not our leaders?”

“I don’t know, but I think they have chosen us,” Feathertail meowed gently. “But somehow we haven’t understood properly. Maybe they’ll send us all another dream to explain.”

“Maybe.” Her brother didn’t sound convinced.

“Let’s all try to come to the next Gathering,” Brambleclaw suggested. “There might be another sign by then.”

“Crowpaw won’t know to meet us there,” Feathertail murmured, glancing at the spot in the bushes where the WindClan apprentice had vanished.

“No loss,” Stormfur remarked, but at his sister’s anxious look he added, “We can keep an eye open for him when he comes to the river to drink. If we see him we’ll pass the message on.”

“All right, that’s decided,” meowed Rowanclaw. “We meet at the Gathering.”

“And what do we tell our Clans?” Stormfur asked. “It’s against the warrior code to hide things from them.”

“StarClan never said we had to keep the dream secret,” Rowanclaw put in.

“I know, but . . .” Feathertail hesitated and then went on, “I just feel it’s wrong to talk about it.”

Brambleclaw knew Stormfur and Rowanclaw were right; he was already feeling guilty that he had said nothing about his dream to Firestar, Cinderpelt, or even Jayfeather. At the same time he shared Feathertail’s instinct to keep silent.

“I’m not sure,” he meowed. “Suppose our leaders forbade us to meet again? We could end up having to choose between obeying them or obeying StarClan.” Aware of uneasy glances from the others, he went on earnestly; “We don’t know enough to tell them. Suppose we wait until the next Gathering, at least. We might have other signs by then that will explain it all to us.”

Feathertail agreed at once, obviously relieved, and after a pause Stormfur gave a small, reluctant nod.

“But only until the next Gathering,” Rowanclaw meowed. “If we haven’t found out any more by then, I’ll have to tell Blackstar.” He gave a huge stretch, his back arched and his forepaws extended. “Right, I’m off.”

Brambleclaw watched the Shadowclan tom bound across the clearing, before turning to Squirrelpaw. 

“Come on,” he meowed. “I’ve things I want to say to you.” Squirrelpaw shrugged and padded away from him, toward ThunderClan territory.

Sparkpaw and Needlepaw were staring at each other, shocked. The sun-drown-place quest was about to begin, meaning that the destruction of the forest was to.

“I have to tell Alderpaw.” Sparkpaw whispered. Needlepaw nodded.

“Not a word to anyone else,” she hissed. “They can’t be stopped from going. If they are, we’re all dead!” Sparkpaw nodded.

“I’ve got to go, or else mother - er - Squirrelpaw will see I’m not in my nest. Then she’ll get suspicious.” The two she-cat touched noses before quietly meowing goodbye.

Saying good night to Feathertail and Stormfur, Brambleclaw headed up the slope after her. When he emerged from the hollow a hot, clammy breeze was blowing into his face, ruffling his fur and turning back the leaves on the trees. Clouds had begun to mass above his head, cutting off the light of Silverpelt. The forest was silent and the air felt heavier than ever. Brambleclaw guessed that the storm was on its way at last.

As he began trotting down toward the stream, Squirrelpaw paused to wait for him. Her fur was relaxed on her spine now, and her green eyes shone.

“That was exciting!” she exclaimed. “Brambleclaw, you have to let me come with you to the next meeting, please! I never thought I’d be part of a prophecy from StarClan.”

“You’re not part of it,” Brambleclaw meowed sternly. “StarClan didn’t send you the dream.”

“But I know about it, don’t I? If StarClan didn’t want me involved, they would have kept me away from Fourtrees somehow.” Squirrelpaw faced him, forcing him to halt, and gazed at him with pleading eyes. “I could help. I’d do everything you told me.”

Brambleclaw couldn’t keep back a puff of laughter. 

“And hedgehogs might fly.”

“No, I will, I promise.” Her green eyes narrowed. “And I wouldn’t tell any cat. You can trust me on that, at least.”

For a few heartbeats Brambleclaw returned her gaze. He knew that if she told Firestar what had happened he would be in deep trouble. Her silence must be worth something.

“Okay,” he agreed at last. “I’ll let you know if anything else happens, but only if you keep your mouth shut.”

Squirrelpaw’s tail went straight up and her eyes blazed with delight. 

“Thank you, Brambleclaw!”

Brambleclaw sighed. Somehow he could sense that he would be in even deeper trouble because of the bargain he had just made. He followed Squirrelpaw into the shadows that lay thickly under the trees, feeling a shiver of fear at the thought of what might be watching them, unseen. But the forest around him was no darker or more threatening than the half-offered prophecy. If the trouble that was coming to the forest was as serious as Bluestar had said, then Brambleclaw was in great danger of making a fatal mistake simply because he did not know enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Squirrelpaw: *Sass Queen*
> 
> Brambleclaw: *Mediator/Leader*
> 
> Stormfur: *Back-up*
> 
> Feathertail: *Looks after everyone*
> 
> Crowpaw: *Everyones' internal turmoil*
> 
> Rowanclaw: *Is left out because he's not Tawnypelt*
> 
> Needlepaw: *Spying is once more put to the test*
> 
> Sparkpaw: *Laughing insanely at her parents' fights*


	10. Brambleclaw Gets Advice From His Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So, you've probably noticed that I don't post on weekends. So, no chapters till Monday. Have a great weekend!

Leafpaw watched Ferncloud’s kits for a moment, then whirled around when she saw movement at the mouth of the gorse tunnel. An early hunting patrol, she wondered, caught out by the rain? Or could it be Squirrelpaw, returning after her illicit outing?

Then she realized that the newcomer did not have ThunderClan scent. She drew breath to yowl a warning to the Clan before she recognized the sleek black pelt: it was Ravenpaw, who had once been a ThunderClan apprentice but now lived as a loner in a Twoleg barn on the edge of WindClan territory. Leafpaw had met him once before, on her journey to Highstones with Cinderpelt. Living so close to Twolegs, Ravenpaw hunted mainly by night and was perfectly comfortable with traveling through the forest in pitch dark. He might be just the cat to tell Leafpaw if there had been a ThunderClan apprentice hunting in the forest before dawn.

The visitor crossed the clearing slowly, skirting the deepest puddles and delicately picking up his paws to shake off the water. 

“Hi—it’s Leafpaw, isn’t it?” Ravenpaw meowed, pricking his ears toward her. “That was some storm! I’d have been soaked through if I hadn’t managed to shelter in a hollow tree. Still, the forest needs the rain.”

Leafpaw returned his greeting politely. She was trying to find the right words to ask him if he had seen Squirrelpaw on his way to the camp, when a cheerful yowl interrupted her.

“Hey, Ravenpaw!”

Whitepaw and Shrewpaw were bounding across the clearing toward them. Ferncloud’s kits abandoned their raindrop games and scuttled after them. The biggest of the three kits skidded to a halt in front of Ravenpaw and took an enormous sniff. 

“New cat,” she growled. “New scent.”

The loner dipped his head in greeting, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth in amusement.

“Hollykit, this is Ravenpaw,” Shrewpaw told her. “He lives on a Twoleg farm, and feasts on more mice than you three have seen in your life.”

Hollykit’s amber eyes grew huge. 

“Every day?”

“That’s right,” Whitepaw put in solemnly. “Every day.”

“I want to go there,” the little gray kit mewed. “Can we? Now?”

“When you’re bigger, Birchkit,” Ferncloud promised, coming up to join them. “Welcome, Ravenpaw. It’s good to—Hollykit! Larchkit! Stop that at once!”

The two brown tabby kits had pounced on Ravenpaw’s twitching tail, and were batting at it with outstretched paws. Ravenpaw winced. 

“Don’t do that, little kits,” he scolded gently. “It’s my tail, not a mouse.”

“Ravenpaw, I’m sorry,” meowed Ferncloud. “They haven’t learned how to behave properly yet.”

“Don’t worry, Ferncloud,” Ravenpaw replied, though he drew his tail closely against his side, out of harm’s way. “Kits will be kits.”

“And these particular kits have been out for long enough.” Ferncloud swished her tail around to gather the three kits together and herded them back toward the nursery. “Say good-bye to Ravenpaw now.”

The kits mewed good-bye and scampered off.

“Can we do anything for you, Ravenpaw?” Whitepaw asked politely. “Would you like some fresh-kill?”

“No, I ate before I left home, thank you,” the black cat replied. “I’ve come to see Firestar. Is he around?”

“I think he’s in his den,” Shrewpaw told him. “Shall I take you there?”

“No, I will,” meowed Leafpaw. She was getting increasingly anxious to ask the loner if he had seen Squirrelpaw on his journey through the forest. Just then Thornclaw, Shrewpaw’s mentor, emerged from the warriors’ den, followed by Airleap. The dark brown tom waved his tail at her, and nodded to Ravenpaw. Leafpaw twitched her ears toward Thornclaw. 

“Er . . . is your mentor looking for you?” she asked Shrewpaw.

As she spoke, Thornclaw called to Shrewpaw, and the apprentice dashed off with a quick word of farewell. Whitepaw also meowed her good-byes, and went over to join Brackenfur at the fresh-kill pile.

Suddenly the thorny branches that formed the gorse tunnel trembled, and relief flooded over Leafpaw as she watched Squirrelpaw emerge, dragging a rabbit behind her through the mud. Leafpaw had taken a couple of paces toward her before she remembered the Clan’s visitor, and turned awkwardly back to him.

“That’s your sister, isn’t it?” Ravenpaw meowed. “Go and talk to her if you want. I can find my own way to Firestar’s den.”

Alderpaw slid from the medicine den, and spotted Brambleclaw staggering across the clearing to a puddle near the base of the Highrock, where he lowered his head and lapped. His father looked ruffled, and unnerved. Glancing curiously at him, Alderpaw raised his head to enjoy the sharp, cold rain shower, and he spotted Firestar emerging from his den under the Highrock and turning to speak to the cat who followed him out. Alderpaw was surprised to see that the second cat was Ravenpaw.

“Twolegs are always doing strange things,” Firestar was saying as they came into earshot. “I’m grateful that you came all this way to tell us, but I really don’t think it’s got anything to do with us.”

Ravenpaw looked uneasy. 

“I know Twolegs often act without reason, but I’ve never seen anything like this. There are far more of them on the Thunderpath than before, walking along the edge with shiny, bright-colored pelts. And they have new kinds of monsters—huge ones!”

“Yes, Ravenpaw, so you said.” Firestar sounded faintly impatient with his old friend. “But we haven’t seen any of them in our territory. I’ll tell you what. . . .” He paused to press his muzzle affectionately against Ravenpaw’s side. “I’ll tell the patrols to keep their eyes open for anything unusual.”

Ravenpaw twitched the fur on his shoulders. 

“I suppose that’s all you can do.”

“And you could drop in on WindClan on your way home,” Firestar suggested. “They’re closer than we are to that part of the Thunderpath, so Tallstar ought to know if something strange is going on.”

“Yes, Firestar, I’ll do that.”

“Wait a moment, I’ve got a better idea,” meowed Firestar. “Why don’t I come with you part of the way? I could take a patrol up to Fourtrees at the same time. Stay there, and I’ll fetch Graystripe and Sandstorm.” He bounded off into the warriors’ den without waiting for Ravenpaw to reply.

When the Clan leader had gone, Ravenpaw caught sight of Brambleclaw and gave him a friendly nod. “Hi, how are you?” he meowed. “How’s the prey running?” Alderpaw trotted to the fresh-kill pile, still listening to Ravenpaw and Brambleclaw talk.

“Fine. Everything’s fine.” Brambleclaw’s voice sounded shaky, and Alderpaw wondered just what was going on with him.“You look like you’ve been chased all night by a horde of badgers,” the loner meowed. “Is anything the matter?”

“Nothing really . . .” Brambleclaw scuffled his paws on the ground. “I had a dream, that’s all.” Alderpaw pricked his ears. That morning, Sparkpaw had cornered him and rapidly told him about the meeting at Fourtrees she spied on. Was it possible that Brambleclaw had received the second dream that Bramblestar told him about?

Ravenpaw’s eyes were sympathetic. 

“Do you want to tell me about it?”

“It was nonsense really,” Brambleclaw murmured. Then the dark tabby started spilling everything to Ravenpaw: the vast expanse of water, the salt taste of it when it filled his mouth, the gaping black jaws in the cliff that had threatened to swallow him, and, most alarmingly of all, the sun sinking in a pool of bloodred fire. “That place can’t be real,” he finished. “I don’t know why it’s gotten to me like this. It’s not like I don’t have anything else to think about,” he added grimly.

Ravenpaw did not leap in to agree that Brambleclaw had had a meaningless dream about a place that existed only in his troubled imagination. Instead, the black cat was silent for a long time, his eyes clouded with thought.

“Salt water, cliffs,” he murmured. Then, “The place is real,” he meowed. “I’ve heard of it before, though I’ve never seen it for myself.”

“Real? Wh-what do you mean?” Brambleclaw stared at him, his fur standing on end.

“Rogue cats come to the Twoleg farm sometimes, when they have traveled far and are in need of shelter for the night and a spare mouse or two,” Ravenpaw explained. “Cats who live toward the place where the sun sets. They have told Barley and me about a place where there is more water than you could possibly imagine, like a river that has only one bank, and it’s too salty to drink. Every night it swallows the sun in a flash of fire, bleeding into the waves without a sound.” Alderpaw shivered as his mind imagined what Ravenpaw had just described.

“Yes, I saw the place where the sun drowns. And the dark cave with teeth?”

“I can’t tell you about that,” Ravenpaw admitted. “But this dream must have been sent to you for a reason. Be patient, and perhaps StarClan will show you more.”

“StarClan?” Brambleclaw felt his belly flip over.

“How could you dream of a place you have never seen unless StarClan willed it?” Ravenpaw pointed out. Alderpaw then meowed;

“Ravenpaw’s right, you know.” the two toms jumped, unaware of the dark red tom’s presence until now. “Starclan isn’t always clear about what they want. Just ask Jayfeather,” Alderpaw flicked his ear. “He rants about all the times Starclan was annoyingly cryptic, and I’ve experienced cryptic messages myself.” He met Brambleclaw’s amber gaze. “If Starclan showed you the sun-drown-place, then…”

“Could they possibly be telling me to go there?” Brambleclaw finished, blinking as the realization hit him.

Ravenpaw’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“Go there? Why?”

“Well, I had another dream first,” Brambleclaw explained uncomfortably. “I . . . I thought I met Bluestar in the forest. She told me about a new prophecy, that great trouble is coming to the forest. She said that I’d been chosen. . . .” He said nothing about the cats from the other Clans. Alderpaw guessed that even though Ravenpaw lived outside the warrior code, he would not approve of meeting with the others in secret, as Brambleclaw had done. “Why me?” he finished in confusion. “Why not Firestar? He would know what to do.” Alderpaw and Ravenpaw exchanged looks.

The loner gazed at Brambleclaw solemnly for a long moment.

“There was a prophecy once about Firestar, too,” he meowed at last. “StarClan promised that fire would save the Clan, though they didn’t say exactly how. Firestar never understood it, never knew the prophecy was about him, until Bluestar told him just before she died.”

Brambleclaw met his gaze. He had heard about the fire prophecy—every Clan cat had, as

part of the stories told about their leader—but it had apparently never occurred to him that Firestar might once have felt as confused as he felt now.

“There was a time when Firestar was a young warrior just like you,” Ravenpaw went “He often wondered if he was making the right decisions. Oh, yes, he’s a hero now, he saved the forest, but to begin with, his task looked as impossible as yours—whatever it might be. His prophecy has been fulfilled,” he added. “Maybe it’s your time now. Remember that StarClan don’t like to make things obvious,” he gestured to Alderpaw, as if referring to what the medicine cat a just said. “They send us prophecies, but they never tell us exactly what we should do. They expect us to show courage and loyalty to achieve what has to be done, just as Firestar did.”

Brambleclaw looked puzzled by the reverence with which Ravenpaw, a loner who chose not to dwell in a Clan, spoke of StarClan. Disconcertingly, the black cat murmured, 

“Just because I live outside the forest doesn’t mean that I reject the warrior code. It is a noble path for cats to walk, and I would defend it as willingly as any warrior.”

He gave Brambleclaw and Alderpaw a friendly nod as Firestar returned with Graystripe and Sandstorm. Brambleclaw murmured farewell and watched the four cats pad across the clearing and vanish into the gorse tunnel. Alderpaw looked at his father, and he seemed to be in deep thought.

“You’re thinking about if you should go.” Alderpaw’s words were not a question, but just a simple statement. Brambleclaw gazed at him, then nodded. “I can tell you, that in my time, you did go to the sun-drown-place. All of you did. And you found out what Midnight had to tell you.”

“Really?” 

Alderpaw nodded. Brambleclaw was quiet for a bit then nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brambleclaw: What should I do? The fate of the world rests on my shoulders!
> 
> Alderpaw & Ravenpaw: RoAd TrIp!


	11. Alderpaw and Leafpaw Are Both Freaked Out (Meanwhile, Jay Is Just Done With Cryptic Stuff)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fire & Tiger prophecy! OoooOOOOOOoooooooo!

Leafpaw leaped after Cinderpelt and passed the medicine cat in a couple of bounds. As she drew closer to the clump of bracken, a searing light flashed, dazzling her eyes. Blinking, she made out something shiny and clear sticking out of the ground, some spiky scrap of Twoleg rubbish. The sun was falling straight onto it and the bracken behind was slowly blackening and sending the wisp of smoke into the sky.

“Fire!” Cinderpelt yowled, coming up behind her. “Quick!” Suddenly the bracken burst into flame. Leafpaw sprang back from the wave of heat. Turning to flee, she saw that Cinderpelt stood still, gazing into the scarlet and orange blaze that leaped hungrily at the brittle stalks. Was she frozen in panic? Leafpaw wondered. Sandstorm had told her about the terrible fire that once swept through the ThunderClan camp. Cinderpelt had survived, but several cats had not, and fire must be especially frightening to the medicine cat when her injured leg made it hard for her to run away.

Then Leafpaw saw that Cinderpelt’s eyes were not wide with fear, but something else. Her gaze was fixed and remote, and Leafpaw realized with a shiver from her ears to her tail tip that her mentor was receiving a message from StarClan.

As quickly as it had blazed up, the fire began to die, and Leafpaw let out a sigh of relief. The flames sank into bright embers and began to wink out, the fronds of bracken disintegrating into flecks of ash. Cinderpelt took a step backward. She was even more unsteady than usual; Leafpaw darted forward to press up against her side, supporting her and helping her to sit down.

“Did you see it?” Cinderpelt whispered.

“See what, Cinderpelt?”

“In the flames . . . a leaping tiger. I saw it clearly, its huge head, the leaping paws, stripes as black as night along its body. . . .” The medicine cat’s voice was hoarse. “An omen from StarClan, fire and tiger together. It must mean something, but what?”

Leafpaw shook her head. 

“I don’t know,” she confessed, feeling scared and helpless.

Cinderpelt got shakily to her paws, shrugging off Leafpaw’s attempt to help her up. 

“We must go straight back to camp,” she mewed. “Firestar, Jayfeather, and Alderpaw should hear about this at once.”

The ThunderClan leader was alone in his den under the Highrock when Cinderpelt, Jayfeather, Alderpaw, and Leafpaw came to the entrance. Cinderpelt paused outside the curtain of lichen that covered the entrance and called out, 

“Firestar? I need to talk to you.”

“Come in,” Firestar’s voice replied.

Leafpaw followed her mentor into the den to see her father curled up on the bed of moss by the far wall. His head was raised as if Cinderpelt had roused him from sleep, and when the medicine cat and her apprentice entered he rose and stretched, arching his back so that the muscles rippled under his flame-colored pelt.

“What can I do for you?”

Cinderpelt padded across the den toward him, while Alderpaw and Leafpaw sat quietly beside the entrance, wrapping her tail around her paws as she tried to push down her sense of approaching danger. She had never seen Cinderpelt receive a message from their warrior ancestors before, and she was unsettled by the fear she had seen in her mentor’s eyes on the journey back through the damp green forest. Jayfeather was gazing at Cinderpelt, eyes narrowed, before nodding like he was confirming something.

“StarClan have sent me an omen,” the medicine cat began. She described how the Twoleg rubbish had caught the sun’s rays and set fire to the bracken. “In the flames I saw a leaping tiger. Fire and tiger together, devouring the bracken. Such power, unleashed, could destroy the forest.”

Firestar was crouched in front of her, with his paws tucked in and his green gaze fixed on her face so intently that Leafpaw almost expected her mentor’s gray fur to start smoking like the bracken burning under the hot sunlight. 

“What do you think it means?”

“I’ve been trying to work it out,” Cinderpelt meowed. “I’m not sure I’m right, but . . . in the old prophecy, ‘fire will save the clan,’ ‘fire’ meant you, Firestar.” Alderpaw blinked as the ThunderClan leader gave a start of surprise. 

“You think it refers to me now? Well . . . perhaps, but what about ‘tiger’? Tigerstar is dead.”

Leafpaw felt uneasiness stir inside her as her father calmly named the fearsome cat who had shed so much blood in his quest for power.

“He is dead—but his son still lives,” Cinderpelt pointed out quietly. She glanced at Leafpaw sitting in the shadows, as if she were uncertain her apprentice should be hearing this. Leafpaw stayed absolutely still, determined to listen to the rest. Alderpaw was sitting like stone, fur spiked and amber eyes stricken. Leafpaw glanced curiously at him. Why was Alderpaw reacting like this? Jayfeather trailed his tail down his apprentice’s side, and Alderpaw relaxed a bit, but he still looked tense.

“Brambleclaw?” Firestar exclaimed. “Are you saying he’s going to destroy the forest? Come on, Cinderpelt. He’s as loyal as any warrior in the Clan. Look at the way he fought for us in the battle against BloodClan.”

Leafpaw felt a sudden urge to say something in Bramble- claw’s defense, though it was not her place to speak here. She did not know the young warrior particularly well, but some instinct inside her cried out,  _ No! He would never harm his Clan, or the forest. _ Alderpaw looked like he, too, was struggling with holding his tongue.

“Firestar, use your head.” Cinderpelt sounded irritable. “I haven’t said that Brambleclaw will destroy the forest. But if ‘tiger’ doesn’t mean him, then which cat does it mean? And something else . . . if ‘tiger’ is Tigerstar’s son, then maybe ‘fire’ is Firestar’s daughter.”

Leafpaw flinched as if a badger had sunk its teeth into her fur.

“Oh, I don’t mean you.” Cinderpelt turned to her apprentice with amusement gleaming faintly in her blue eyes. “I’ll keep an eye on you, don’t worry.” Glancing back at Firestar, she added, “No, I think it more likely means Squirrelpaw. She has a flame-colored pelt like you, after all.”

Leafpaw’s brief sense of relief was swallowed up in fear and dismay as she realized where the medicine cat’s logic was leading. Her own sister, the cat who was dearer to her than all others—was she prophesied to do something so terrible that her name would be cursed by all the Clans, just as queens told their kits now that if they were naughty the terrible Tigerstar would come and get them? Jayfeather and Alderpaw exchanged glances, and Leafpaw felt the fear rise up in her again. Did they know something?

“My own daughter . . . she’s headstrong, yes, but not dangerous . . .” Firestar’s eyes were deeply troubled; Leafpaw saw that he had too much respect for Cinderpelt’s wisdom to argue with her interpretation, though it was bitter as mouse bile to hear. “What do you think I should do?” he asked helplessly.

Cinderpelt shook her head. 

“That’s your decision, Firestar. I can only tell you what StarClan have shown me. Fire and tiger together, and danger to the forest. But I’d advise you not to tell the Clan yet, not until I receive another sign. They’ll only panic, and that will make things worse.” Her head swiveled to fix an icy stare on Leafpaw. “Say nothing about this, on your loyalty to StarClan.”

“Not even to Squirrelpaw?” Leafpaw asked nervously.

“Especially not to Squirrelpaw.”

“I must tell Graystripe,” Firestar mewed. “And Sandstorm—StarClan know what Sandstorm will think about this!”

Cinderpelt nodded. 

“That is wise, I think.” 

Jayfeather cleared his throat.

“If I may,” at Firestar’s nod Jayfeather continued. “I can say that Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw will not bring harm to Thunderclan - not intentionally.” he huffed. “I’ve been told that we, the futures, aren’t exactly allowed to tell  _ exactly _ what will transpire. But, we can help.” he and Alderpaw exchanged looks. “Change is coming to the forest.” Jayfeather meowed. “And I’m not being cryptic, unlike  _ some _ cat I could mention,” the gray tabby muttered that last line. “I mean it literally. And Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw are part of how all the Clans will survive.”

Firestar nodded, uneasiness and uncertainty in his green eyes as he then sighed.

“Hopefully Starclan will send us a sign. One that will make this all clearer.” the leader meowed.

Cinderpelt rose and flicked her tail for Leafpaw to follow her. 

“If they do, you’ll be the first to know.”

She dipped her head and backed out of the den. Leafpaw moved to follow her, hesitated, then rushed across to her father and buried her muzzle in his pelt, wanting to be comforted as much as to comfort him. Whatever this omen might mean, she was scared by it. She felt Firestar’s tongue rasp warmly over her ear. Her eyes met his and she saw her own sorrow and fear reflected there. Jayfeather dipped his head respectfully to his leader and jerked his head for Alderpaw to follow him out. Alderpaw meowed a quiet good-bye and darted after his mentor.

Cinderpelt then called “Leafpaw!” from outside, and the moment between father and daughter was over. Leafpaw bowed her head to her leader and left him alone, to wait for further news from StarClan about the destiny of his cats, both present and future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alderpaw & Leafpaw: Omygosh, omygosh, O MY GOSH!!
> 
> Jayfeather: *Is done*
> 
> Firestar: *Internal screaming*
> 
> Cinderpelt, about Firestar's reaction: .........here we go again


	12. Icefoot Interlude & Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw Make Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter for the week! Leave comments! I enjoy getting up at 6 - 6:30, getting ready, then opening my computer and seeing your comments! :-} Have a good - and safe from COVID - weekend!

Icefoot was washing himself under the shade of the Highrock, content with watching his clanmates go about their daily activities. He spotted his niece, Squirrelpaw, and her mentor, Dustpelt, leave the camp, presumably for a training session. His ice blue eyes scanned the camp and they landed on Brambleclaw. Icefoot remembered the first time he met the young tabby. He had still been Scourge, leader of Bloodclan, and had run into Firestar and Brambleclaw - then Bramblepaw - on a patrol. He had a momentarily flashback to his kit-hood when he saw Brambleclaw. The time when he had the unfortunate encounter with Brambleclaw’s father, Tigerstar, then Tigerpaw, and Thistleclaw, his mentor. Icefoot narrowed his eyes as the memory came to the forefront of his mind.  _ If it weren’t for Bluestar, _ he thought.  _ Tigerstar would have probably killed me. _ Icefoot take another glance at Brambleclaw. He had a peniseve look on his face, like he was trying to decided between something. The black tom tilted his head.  _ He looks like he needs a break from his thinking. _ Icefoot spotted his brother, Stonebrook, and his sister, Shadecloud, talking closeby. He trotted over to them.

“Fancy a hunt?” he asked, stretching. Shadecloud pricked her ears.

“I do. Stonebrook though…” she turned to their brother, who shook his head.

“Nah, I’ve got the dusk patrol to go on. Don’t want to be tired for that.” Icefoot jabbed at his brother.

“More like you’re a lazy sack of bones.” he muttered good-naturally. Stonebrook gave him a mock-growl and a swipe. Icefoot ducked.

“Missed.” Shadecloud swiped at them both, her blows hitting her brothers round the heads.

“Ow!”

“Hey!”

Shadecloud’s whiskers twitched.

“You had it coming. Now, that hunt?” Icefoot asked Shadecloud to wait for him at the entrance tunnel and padded over to Brambleclaw, who still looked lost in thought.

“You look as if you’ve lost a rabbit and found a shrew,” Icefoot meowed. Brambleclaw looked up. “Do you want to come hunting with me and Shadecloud?”

For once, Brambleclaw felt he hardly had the energy for hunting or anything else. With his journey due to start the next day, worries were crowding around him like cats at a Gathering. Was he really meant to lead four other cats out into the unknown, to face dangers they could not even imagine? Icefoot was still waiting for Brambleclaw to answer, and he realized that he would be better off hunting than hanging about the camp worrying.

The hunt went well. Shadecloud was an excellent, silent stalker, and crept up on her pret until she was almost touching it with her nose before making her kill. 

When the patrol came upon a squirrel nibbling an acorn in the middle of a clearing, Icefoot began stalking it, moving each lean black leg stealthily. He was almost ready to pounce when the wind changed and carried his scent to his prey. The squirrel started, tail flicking up, and bounded toward the edge of the clearing.

“Bad luck!” Brambleclaw called as Icefoot hissed his displeasure.

Instead of answering, Icefoot raced after the squirrel and disappeared into the undergrowth.

“Hey!” Shadecloud shouted after him. “You’ll never catch a squirrel like that.” The bushes rustled and Icefoot slid out, squirrel clamped in his jaw. He set it down and gave his sister a smug look.

“Says who?” Shadecloud rolled her eyes at her brother before she dashed over, grabbed the squirrel, and sprinted off.

“Hey!” Icefoot yowled. “That’s my squirrel!”

“It’s mine now!” Shadecloud yowled through a mouthful of squirrel as Icefoot flew after her.

Left to himself, Brambleclaw stood still, listening for the sound of prey. There was a faint rustling in the leaves under the nearest tree. A mouse appeared, scuffling after seeds. Brambleclaw dropped into a hunting crouch and crept up on it, trying to make his paws float over the ground. Then he sprang, and killed his prey with one swift snap.

He scraped earth over it so that he could collect it later. Listening for more prey, promising himself one last good hunt before he left, he pricked up his ears instead at the sound of something bigger rustling among the bushes a little way off, in the opposite direction from where Shadecloud and Icefoot had disappeared. Brambleclaw drew the air into his mouth, but could scent nothing except ThunderClan cats.

He began to pad forward, only to quicken his pace as the rustling grew louder and was followed by a furious yowl. He ran around the edge of a bramble thicket and stopped dead. There was a gorse bush in front of him, and Squirrelpaw was struggling madly among its thick, spiky branches. Her front paws were off the ground and her fur was tangled in the thorns. Brambleclaw couldn’t suppress a  _ mrrow _ of laughter.

“Having fun?”

Instantly Squirrelpaw’s head whipped around and her green eyes flashed fury at him. 

“That’s right, have a good laugh, you stupid furball!” she snapped. “Then maybe you’ll have time to get me out of here!”

Tail waving, he strolled toward her. 

“How did you manage to get so stuck?”

“I was chasing a vole.” Squirrelpaw sounded exasperated. “Dappletail said she fancied one, so I thought I’d better oblige, just in case she got swipe-happy. It ran under here, and I thought there was room for me to run after it.”

“There isn’t,” Brambleclaw pointed out helpfully.  **(LOL, I love this line!)**

“I know that now, mouse-brain! Do something!”

“Keep still, then.” Approaching the bush, Brambleclaw saw where the worst tangles were, and began to tease out her fur, carefully using his teeth and claws. Some of the thorns pierced his nose, making his eyes water, but he kept on without complaining.

“Hang on,” Squirrelpaw muttered after a while. “I think I’m loose.”

Brambleclaw jumped out of the way as the apprentice plunged forward, forepaws scrabbling the earth as she dragged her hindquarters clear of the branches. A moment later she was free, shaking herself irritably while she stared at the tufts of dark red fur she had left behind.

“Thanks, Brambleclaw,” she meowed.

“Are you hurt at all?” he asked. “Maybe you ought to let Cinderpelt have a look at you.” Squirrelpaw shook herself.

“Nah, I’m fine.” she said, tossing her head. She glanced curiously at him. “Got something on your mind? You seem like you do.”

“I . . .” He had been about to lie to her, and tell her that he was fine, and was going to look for Icefoot and Shadecloud. Then he realized how deeply betrayed she would feel when he didn’t come back that night. After all, they were in this together, “I’m leaving,” he told her.

“Leaving?” Squirrelpaw echoed in dismay. “Leaving ThunderClan?”

“Not leaving for good,” Brambleclaw put in quickly. “Squirrelpaw, listen. . . .”

She sat in front of him, and her wide green eyes never left his face as he told her about the second dream, of drowning in endless salty water and being swept toward the cave with teeth.

“Ravenpaw says it’s a real place,” he explained. “And Alderpaw and I think StarClan are telling me to go there, and the other cats agree. We’re starting at sunrise tomorrow.”

The hurt in Squirrelpaw’s eyes was clear. 

“You told them and not me?” she wailed. “Brambleclaw, you promised!”

“I know.” Brambleclaw felt guilt gnawing at him. “I was going to, I promise, but I’ve had a lot on my mind, and I know that’s not really an excuse, but I am sorry.”

“And you’re really going all that way?” Squirrelpaw asked after a few heart-beats. “But you don’t even know how far it is.”

“None of us do,” Brambleclaw admitted. “But Ravenpaw has spoken to cats who have seen the place, so it must be possible to get there. I’m not coming back to the camp,” he added. “I’ll spend the night somewhere in the forest, and meet the others at Fourtrees in the morning. Please, Squirrelpaw, don’t give us away. Don’t tell any cat where we’ve gone.”

As he spoke, Squirrelpaw’s eyes brightened until they were gleaming with excitement. Brambleclaw knew what she was going to say a heartbeat before she said it.

“I won’t breathe a word to any cat,” she promised. “I can’t, because I’m coming with you.”

“Oh, no, you’re not!” Brambleclaw retorted. “You’re not one of the chosen cats. You’re not even a warrior yet.”

“Crowpaw isn’t a warrior,” Squirrelpaw flashed back at him. “And I’d bet a moon of dawn patrols Stormfur is coming. He’d never let Feathertail go without him. So why do I have to be left out?” She hesitated, and then added, “I didn’t tell any cat about the first dream, Brambleclaw. I never said a word. Not even to Leafpaw.”

Brambleclaw knew that was true. If Squirrelpaw had dropped even a hint, it would have been all around the camp by now.

“I didn’t promise you could come,” he reminded her. “I promised to tell you, and I’ve done that.”

“But you can’t leave me behind,” Squirrelpaw cried. “If I don’t know what happens next, my fur will fall out from wondering!”

“It’s just too dangerous, Squirrelpaw; can’t you see that? The prophecy is a heavy enough weight for me to bear, without having to look after you as well.”

“Look after me!” Squirrelpaw’s eyes blazed indignantly. “I can look after myself, thank you. I’m coming, whether you like it or not. If you won’t let me come with you, I’ll follow you.” 

Brambleclaw stared at her, indecisive. He did not want the responsibility of taking a young apprentice into danger . . . but she would be in much more danger if she tried to follow him alone through unknown territory. And if she returned to

the camp, once everyone realized that Brambleclaw had gone missing, they would badger Squirrelpaw until she said what she knew, and they would maybe even send an expedition to bring him back. For a couple of heartbeats Brambleclaw understood what it meant to be a leader, his fur weighed down with doubts and questions heavier than a whole riverful of floodwater, and he empathized with Firestar for what he had to deal with every day.

Brambleclaw heaved a sigh that seemed to go down to the tips of his paws. 

“All right, Squirrelpaw,” he meowed. “You can come.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shadecloud, with the squirrel: 'TIS MINE NOW!
> 
> Icefoot: *Wages war*
> 
> Squirrelpaw: *Stuck in a bush, waging her own war*
> 
> Brambleclaw: *Gives some VERY helpful advice*


	13. Leafpaw Tries To Drill Herb Knowledge Into Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AND HERE'S THE CHAPTERS I PROMISED!!! Great to see you all again!

A faint dawn light seeping under the monster’s belly roused Brambleclaw the next morning. Squirrelpaw was curled beside him. For a heartbeat he couldn’t remember why she was sleeping in his den instead of her own. Then the acrid reek of the monster, and a continuous roar from the Thunderpath close by, reminded him where he was and why. This was the morn- ing when the journey would really begin! But instead of excitement, he felt only uncertainty dragging at his paws, along with the dismal thought that he had as good as exiled himself from his Clan by disappearing without his leader’s permission.

Brambleclaw crept out from beneath the monster and lifted his head to taste the air. The grass was still wet from the previous night’s rain, and the bushes at the top of the bank were heavy with drops of water. Mist curled through the trees in the gray dawn. There was no sound or scent of other cats. Turning back to the monster, he called to Squirrelpaw,

“Wake up! It’s time we were on our way to Fourtrees.”

He was beginning to think he would have to slide back under the monster’s belly to rouse the apprentice when she crawled out, blinking. 

“I’m starving,” she complained.

“We’ll have time to catch prey on the way,” Brambleclaw told her. “But we must get moving. The others will be waiting.”

“Okay.” Squirrelpaw raced up the bank and headed toward Fourtrees, following the line of the Thunderpath. Brambleclaw caught up to her, and for a time the two cats loped along side by side. The mist cleared and a golden light gathered on the horizon where the sun would rise. Birds began to sing in the branches overhead.

Once she was properly awake, Squirrelpaw seemed to forget about stopping to hunt. She hurried on, paying no attention to anything around her. Brambleclaw was torn between wanting to get to Fourtrees as soon as possible, and staying alert for possible trouble. When he heard rustling in the bushes behind them he halted, ears flicking up and jaws parted to detect the scent of their pursuer.

“Squirrelpaw!” he hissed. “Get out of sight!”

But Squirrelpaw whirled around a heartbeat before he spoke, and stood staring in the direction of the sound, her green eyes wide. At the same moment, Brambleclaw picked up the strong, familiar scent of a ThunderClan cat. Then the branches of a nearby bush quivered and parted to reveal Leafpaw and Alderpaw.

The two sisters stood rigid for a moment, their gazes locked together. Then Leafpaw padded forward and set down the packet of herbs she was carrying at Squirrelpaw’s feet.

“We brought you some traveling herbs,” she murmured. “You’re going to need them.”

Brambleclaw stared from her to Squirrelpaw. 

“I thought you said you hadn’t told any cat!” His voice was loud with outrage. “How does she know? You’ve been lying to me!”

“I have not!” Squirrelpaw spat.

“No, she hasn’t,” Leafpaw’s gentler voice added. “But she didn’t need to tell me anything. I just knew, that’s all.” Brambleclaw shook himself. 

“You mean, you know everything?” he asked. “About the dreams, and the journey to the sun-drown place?” Alderpaw shook his head.

“She doesn’t know. And you know as well as I do that I, along with the others,  _ do _ know. But you can trust us not to tell. This journey is very important.”

Leafpaw nodded and turned her serious gaze on Bramblelclaw, and he saw unhappiness and bewilderment in the depths of her eyes. 

“I only know that Squirrelpaw is going away.” She hesitated, closing her eyes briefly. “And there will be great danger.”

A pang of pity for her stabbed through Brambleclaw, sharp as a thorn, but he could not afford to give in to it. He had to know what Leafpaw had done with her knowledge.

“Who else knows?” he demanded roughly. “Have you told your father?”

“No!” The flash of anger in Leafpaw’s eyes suddenly made her look very much like her sister. “I wouldn’t tell on Squirrelpaw, not even to Firestar.”

“She wouldn’t, Brambleclaw,” Squirrelpaw added. Brambleclaw nodded slowly.

“I almost wish I had,” Leafpaw went on, bitterness in her voice. “Perhaps I could have stopped it all, and kept you here. Squirrelpaw, do you really have to go?”

“I must! This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. Don’t you see? It’s a command from StarClan, so it’s not like we’re going against the warrior code.”

She began pouring out to Leafpaw the whole story of Brambleclaw’s dreams, and the meeting with the cats from other Clans. Leafpaw listened, her eyes widening in dismay.

Brambleclaw fidgeted from paw to paw, acutely aware of the passing of time as the daylight strengthened.

“But you don’t need to go!” Leafpaw wailed when Squirrel- paw had finished. “You haven’t been chosen.” Alderpaw raised a paw, clearly motioning that he wanted to say something.

“I can tell you that Squirrelpaw was meant to be on this journey. She is a part of this.”

Brambleclaw glanced at Leafpaw. She knew as well as he did how useless it was to argue with Squirrelpaw when she had made up her mind, and Alderpaw was backing her up. There was something else, too, in Leafpaw’s amber eyes: a hint of trouble, as if she knew more than she was telling.

“But you might not come back.” Leafpaw’s voice shook, and Brambleclaw was reminded even more forcibly that as well as a medicine cat, Leafpaw was Squirrelpaw’s sister.

“What will I do without you?”

“I’ll be okay, Leafpaw.” Brambleclaw was amazed at the gentleness of Squirrelpaw’s voice, and the way that she pressed her muzzle comfortingly against her sister’s side.

“I’ve got to go. You do see that, don’t you?” Leafpaw nodded.

“And you won’t tell anyone where we’ve gone?” Squirrelpaw pressed.

“I don’t know where you’re going—and neither do you,” Leafpaw pointed out. “But no, I won’t say anything.” She drew in a shaky breath. “Now take the herbs and go.”

Squirrelpaw dabbed at the packet of herbs, dividing them between herself and Brambleclaw. As they gulped down the bitter-tasting leaves, Leafpaw looked on, her eyes huge and somber, and Alderpaw gazed at them, like he knew exactly what they will encounter. Brambleclaw took a moment to flick his gaze between Leafpaw and Alderpaw’s amber eyes. Leafpaw’s were lighter, more like the amber that came from tree sap, while Alderpaw’s were a few shades darker.  _ Like mine. _ Brambleclaw thought.  _ That’s strange. _ But Brambleclaw’s musings were interrupted by Alderpaw meowing;

“Even if you don’t have a medicine cat with you, you can still find herbs as you go along.” Leafpaw nodded. 

Don’t forget marigold for wounds,” she meowed rapidly. “And tansy for coughs—oh, and juniper berries for bellyache. And borage leaves are best for fever, if you can find any.” She sounded as if she were trying to pass on the whole of her training in the few moments she had left.

“We won’t forget,” Squirrelpaw promised. She finished the last mouthful of herbs and swiped her tongue around her mouth. “Come on, Brambleclaw.”

“Good-bye, Leafpaw, Alderpaw,” Brambleclaw mewed. “You—and the rest of the Clan—take care. If trouble is really coming to the forest, we . . . we might not be back in time to help you fight it.”

“That is in the paws of StarClan,” Leafpaw agreed sadly. “I will do my best to be ready, I promise.”

“And don’t worry about Squirrelpaw,” Brambleclaw added. “I’ll look after her.”

“And I’ll look after him.” Squirrelpaw flashed him a challenging look before padding up to her sister and touching noses with her. “We will come back,” she murmured.

“Oh,” Brambleclaw suddenly meowed. He turned back around to the medcicine cats. “Could you tell Tawnypelt and Snowflight that we’ll be okay? Tawnypelt knows about the first dream, and the meeting with the others. I don’t want her to worry.” 

Leafpaw dipped her head.

“I don’t know if she will not worry, but we will tell both of them that you will do your best.” 

As Brambleclaw headed once again for Fourtrees, he glanced back to see the medicine cats watching them, two motionless figures against the ferns, light brown and dark red. As he raised his tail in a gesture of farewell they turned swiftly, and the undergrowth swallowed them up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brambleclaw & Squirrelpaw: Leafpaw, what are you-
> 
> Leafpaw, shoving some herbs in their faces: LEARN! LEARN! LEARN THE POWERS OF THE PLANTS! IN THE NAME OF STARCLAN, L E A R N ! ! ! !


	14. Cloudtail Nearly Spills The Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #2! Hope you like!

Leafpaw caught a vole on her way back to the camp, and Alderpaw had managed to swipe a mouse before they slipped down the ravine with their catches clamped in their jaws, hoping that any cat who saw them would think that they had been out on an early hunting expedition. Leafpaw’s mind was still whirling with her sister’s departure, and how the prophecies of StarClan seemed to be gathering around Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw like mist clinging to the branches of a gorse bush.

As she emerged into the clearing she heard Mousefur’s voice raised loudly. 

“That Brambleclaw is a lazy lump! It’s well past sunrise, and he isn’t up yet. I want him for a hunting patrol.”

“I’ll wake him.” Brightheart, who was sitting with Mousefur near the nettle patch, got up and went into the warriors’ den. Leafpaw felt a cold knot in her belly at the thought of what would happen when the rest of ThunderClan discovered that Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw had vanished. She and Alderpaw flashed a quick, wide-eyed look at each other, and at that moment, Dustpelt appeared from the nursery and padded over to the apprentices’ den, where Whitepaw and Shrewpaw were sunning themselves.

“Hi,” the brown warrior greeted them. “Have you seen Squirrelpaw? She’s not ill, is she? She’s usually raring to go by now—before I’ve even had time for a piece of fresh-kill.”

Whitepaw and Shrewpaw exchanged a glance. 

“We haven’t seen her,” Whitepaw mewed. “She didn’t sleep in the den last night.”

Leafpaw saw Dustpelt roll his eyes. 

“What is she up to now?”

Brightheart pushed her way out of the warriors’ den and bounded across to Mousefur. Leafpaw trotted across to the fresh-kill pile with her vole so that she could hear what they were saying, Alderpaw following with his ears pricked.

“Brambleclaw’s not there,” Brightheart reported.

“What?” Mousefur’s tail twitched in surprise. “Where is he, then?” Tawnypelt and Snowflight looked up from the thrush they were sharing.

Brightheart shrugged. 

“He must have gone hunting on his own. Never mind, Mousefur. Cloudtail and I will come with you.”

“Fine.” Mousefur shrugged, and as soon as Cloudtail emerged from the den, blinking sleep out of his eyes, she roused Spiderpaw and all four cats left the camp.

Meanwhile, Dustpelt was heading for the fresh-kill pile, irritably calling on StarClan to tell him how he was supposed to mentor an apprentice if she was never where she was meant to be.

“If you see your sister,” he growled to Leafpaw, “tell her I’m in the nursery. And she’d better have a good excuse for going off on her own again.” He snatched up a starling and headed back to Ferncloud.

Leafpaw watched him go before heading for the fern tunnel that led to the medicine cat’s den. She was relieved that Dustpelt had not stopped to question her about Squirrelpaw, but she knew that as time went on and the two cats did not return, there would certainly be questions—lots of them.

Questions she had no idea at all how to answer. And judging by the look on Alderpaw’s face…

He didn’t either.

By midday, gossip was beginning to fly around the camp. On her way through the main clearing to fetch fresh-kill for Cinderpelt, Leafpaw overheard Firestar ordering the patrols to keep an eye open for the two missing cats.

“So Brambleclaw is padding after Squirrelpaw, is he?” Cloudtail remarked, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “Well, it’s about tim-” at Brightheart look he suddenly changed what he was about to say. “Well, she’s a very attractive young cat; I’ll say that for her.” he shot his mate a sheepish look.  _ What was that about? _ Leafpaw thought.

“I can’t think what they’re up to.” Firestar meowed. “I’ll have something to say to both of them when they come back.”

Leafpaw crouched down, pretending to be choosing the best piece of prey, while the warriors dispersed, leaving her father and mother alone together.

Sandstorm gave him a direct look from wide green eyes as Firestar let out a heavy sigh. 

“This prophecy . . . fire and tiger together, and trouble for the forest. I thought after we dealt with BloodClan the Clans would be at peace.” His eyes darkened momentarily.

“We’ve had many moons of peace.” Sandstorm padded up to Firestar and pressed her muzzle against his cheek. “All thanks to you. If there is more trouble to come, it’s not your fault. I’ve been thinking about that omen,” she went on, sitting down with a quick glance around to make sure none of the warriors were in earshot.

Leafpaw gave a guilty start, wondering if she should creep out of the shadows on the far side of the pile of fresh-kill, but if her mother knew she was there, she paid no attention to her; after all, Leafpaw already knew about the StarClan message.  **(Wow. That’s a big prey pile if it can hide an entire cat. XD)**

“It mentions fire and tiger, and trouble,” Sandstorm continued, “but it doesn’t say that fire and tiger will cause the trouble, does it?”

Leafpaw saw a shiver run right through Firestar’s body, rippling his flame-colored fur.

“You’re right!” he murmured. “The prophecy might mean they’ll save us from the trouble.”

“It might.”

Firestar straightened up, suddenly looking very young.

“Then it’s even more important to get them back!” he burst out. “I’ll lead a patrol myself.”

“I’ll come with you,” mewed Sandstorm. Raising her voice, she added, “Leafpaw, you’ve had time to sniff every piece of fresh-kill on that pile. Cinderpelt will be waiting—and remember that you’ve promised not to say anything to any cat about this message from StarClan.”

“Yes, Sandstorm.” Leafpaw grabbed a vole and headed back to the medicine cat’s den. She wondered if she ought to confess what her sister had told her about the journey—but she had promised Squirrelpaw to keep silent, too. The weight of the two secret prophecies weighed on her fur like rain- drops. She did not know how she would manage to keep both her promises, and stay faithful to her vows as a medicine cat to act only for the good of the Clan, all at the same time. She paused before she entered the medicine den. There was another cat, two others actually, that could help. Jayfeather and Alderpaw were both medicine cats, and had delt with prophecies before. Plus, they all ready knew what was going on. Maybe they could help her out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cloudtail: Eyy....Brambleclaw is padding after my cuz, eh? 'Bought time-
> 
> Brightheart, jumping on him: *Slams a paw over his mouth* SHUT IT!


	15. Medicine Cat Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Third one!

When they reached the top of the hollow, Leafpaw spotted the ShadowClan medicine cat sitting at the base of the Great Rock. The small but dignified tabby figure was alone, as he had no apprentice. He leaped to his paws as soon as he saw them, calling out a greeting. At the same moment the bushes farther around the hollow rustled, and Mudfur from RiverClan stepped into the clearing with his apprentice, Mothwing.

Leafpaw was pleased to see the RiverClan apprentice. She bounded down the slope to join her as Cinderpelt, Jayfeather and the other two medicine cats met in the center of the clearing and began to exchange their news. Alderpaw choose to settle down, tail curled around his paws, and gaze up at the stars, head tilted.

“Mothwing!” she meowed. “It’s good to see you.” The sun had risen fully above the trees, and Mothwing’s golden fur glowed amber. Leafpaw thought again how beautiful she was, but she was disconcerted when her friendly greeting was not returned.

Instead, Mothwing nodded coolly. 

“Greetings. I wondered if Cinderpelt would bring her apprentice.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Alderpaw give Mothwing a confused look, and Jayfeather irritable flicked his tail.

Something about the way Mothwing spoke made Leafpaw feel small, as if Mothwing were trying to put her in her place. Of course, Mothwing was already a warrior, so perhaps she expected respect and not friendship from an apprentice.

Disappointment stabbed Leafpaw like a thorn; she dipped her head and fell back a pace to follow the other cats as they made their way up the side of the hollow and across the border into WindClan territory.

Jayfeather was slightly annoyed at Mothwing’s attitude. The gray tabby refused to admit it was because of his past mother’s crest-fallen expression, and blamed it solely on the reason that  _ he _ was suppose to be the-

“Grumpy, with a cold exterior, medicine cat?” Alderpaw’s quiet, but amused, mew interrupted his thoughts. Jayfeather gave his apprentice an unimpressed look.

“Yes. I am.” he flicked Alderpaw’s ear with his tail. “Now come on, we’re almost there.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BTW, I do like Mothwing. So I'm not hating on her. Just clearing that up so I'm not a target of a riot somewhere. :-D
> 
> Jayfeather: Who does she think she is, making my mom sad?! *Sees Alderpaw looking at him* Er, I mean, I'M THE COLD-HEARTED ONE!
> 
> Alderpaw: No your not.
> 
> Jayfeather: YES I AM!!
> 
> Alderpaw: You're a cuddly kitten on the inside.
> 
> Jayfeather: STOP SPREADING THOSE LIES!!!! LIES I SAY!!!!


	16. Needlepaw Shoves The Truth In Everyone’s Faces (Alder & Spark Are Just Done)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Needle time!

By the time the ThunderClan cats reached the Gathering, Leafpaw felt better. She had snatched a brief nap after sunhigh, her nose filled with the scent of burdock clinging to her fur, and woken with energy in her paws again. As she emerged from the bushes in the clearing at Fourtrees, she saw Mothwing pushing her way toward her.

“Hi, there,” Leafpaw meowed. “How are you getting on?”

Mothwing paused. 

“Fine, I think, but there’s so much to learn! And there are times I don’t feel any closer to StarClan than before I went to Mothermouth.”

Leafpaw let out a wry meow. 

“We all feel that. I think every medicine cat in the forest has felt it at some time.”

Mothwing’s huge amber eyes were confused. 

“But I thought I’d be wise now that I’m a medicine cat. I thought I’d walk closely with StarClan and always know the answer to everything.”

She looked so dejected that Leafpaw leaned over and gave her ear a comforting lick. 

“One day perhaps you will. We walk closer to StarClan every day.” When Mothwing still looked uneasy she added, “Mothwing, is there something in particular bothering you?”

Mothwing started. 

“Oh, no,” she replied, shaking her broad golden head. “Nothing at all, only—”

Leafpaw never found out what she was going to say. A loud yowling drowned out Mothwing’s voice as Tallstar, on the top of the Great Rock, called for silence. Leopardstar stood beside him, while, surprisingly, Firestar and Blackstar sat together a little way behind.

Leopardstar was the first of the leaders to speak. 

“Tallstar,” she meowed, “rain has fallen many times on the forest since the last Gathering. Do the streams run freely again in WindClan territory?”

Tallstar inclined his head toward her. 

“They do, Leopardstar.”

“Then I take back the permission I gave to you and your Clan to enter RiverClan territory to drink. From now on, my warriors will drive out any WindClan cats we find across our borders.”

She said nothing about the way that WindClan had gone on visiting the river even when they no longer needed to, but her voice was sharp, and Leafpaw could see the displeasure she was not expressing in words.

Tallstar faced the RiverClan leader, unblinking. 

“Leopardstar, WindClan thanks you for your help and will not abuse your trust.”

The RiverClan leader gave him a sharp little nod and stepped back. Suddenly there was a disturbance among the cats in the clearing, and a sleek tabby cat with massive shoulders rose to his paws. It was Mothwing’s brother, Hawkfrost. Her other brother, Frogspeck, lay beside him, gazing at his brother with a confused expression.

“With your permission, Leopardstar, I would like to speak,” Hawkfrost meowed.

Leafpaw was surprised; young warriors did not usually speak at Gatherings.

“Well?” Leopardstar mewed.

Hawkfrost hesitated, scuffling the ground in front of him with one paw in apparent shyness, though Leafpaw noticed that his ice-blue eyes flicked from side to side as if making sure that every cat was watching him. Icefoot, laying beside Lightningfur, Mousefur, and Shadecloud, was watching the warrior through narrowed eyes, his own ice-blue eyes sharp. Leafpaw blinked, surprised at her uncle’s obvious dislike for the Riverclan warrior. What did Icefoot not like about him? Did he know something?

“I’m not sure I should say this,” Hawkfrost began. Leafpaw heard Icefoot mutter;

“Then don’t say it.” Shadecloud slapped her tail at her brother’s head.

“But . . . well, when WindClan came to the river, they didn’t just drink. I’ve seen them stealing fish.”

“What?” Tallstar sprang to the edge of the rock and crouched there as if he were about to pounce on the RiverClan warrior. “How dare you! No WindClan cats have stolen prey!”

Leafpaw knew that was a lie; she remembered Squirrelpaw telling her about catching a WindClan patrol on ThunderClan territory with a stolen vole. Then again, Tallstar may not know of it.

“Did any other cats see this?” Leopardstar asked Hawkfrost.

“I don’t think so.” Hawkfrost sounded apologetic. “I was on my own at the time.” Again, Icefoot muttered;

“How convenient.”

Leopardstar’s gaze raked the clearing, but no cat spoke. Leafpaw wondered if she should say anything, but she had not seen the theft for herself; Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw were long gone, and Dustpelt, who had also seen it, had not come to this Gathering. She kept silent.

Tallstar turned to the RiverClan leader. 

“I swear by StarClan that WindClan have taken nothing but water from the river. Are you going to condemn us on the word of one warrior?”

Leopardstar’s neck fur bristled. 

“Are you saying that my warrior is lying?”

“Are you calling my Clan thieves?” Tallstar’s lips drew back in a snarl, his teeth bared and his claws unsheathed.

Yowls of protest broke out in the clearing from both RiverClan and WindClan cats. Leafpaw watched the warriors turn on each other, spitting challenges. She felt her fur stand on end, suddenly terrified that the sacred truce of the Gathering would be broken.

“Did Hawkfrost have to start this?” she murmured, half to herself.

“What should he do?” Mothwing’s voice was sharp as she defended her brother. “Keep quiet and let WindClan get away with it? Every cat in RiverClan knows that for a couple of mousetails those cats would steal the pelt off your back.”

Her amber eyes blazed and she sprang to her paws as if she were ready to join in a fight the moment it started. A furious hiss came from her mentor, Mudfur, reminding her that medicine cats were meant to keep peace, and Mothwing shot him a glance, half-angry, half-ashamed.

“Wait!” The single word carried clearly across the hollow. Leafpaw saw that Firestar had come forward to the edge of the rock. “StarClan is angry—look up at the moon!”

With every other cat, Leafpaw gazed upward. The full moon floated above the trees; not far away a single cloud was being driven toward it, even though there was barely a breath of wind in the clearing. She shivered. If StarClan were angry enough to cover the moon, the Gathering would have to break up.

The warriors crouched down, their hostility fading to fear. Firestar’s voice rang out again. 

“Leopardstar, Tallstar, will you lead your Clans into battle on the word of one warrior? Hawkfrost, is it possible that you were mistaken in what you saw?”

Hawkfrost paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing to slits as he stared at the ThunderClan leader. 

“I believe what I said,” he replied at last, “but I suppose it’s possible I got it wrong. I might have been dazzled by the sun on the water, or something.”

“Then let there be friendship between RiverClan and WindClan,” Firestar meowed. “Tallstar has already promised not to come down to the river again.”

“And I’ll keep my promise,” Tallstar spat. “But you should teach your young warriors to show a bit of respect, Leopardstar.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” Leopardstar was still angry, but Leafpaw recognized that the threat of battle was over. Above their heads the cloud was carried away from the moon, as though StarClan’s anger were fading.

“Remember how good life is in the forest just now,” Firestar urged both leaders. “Prey is plentiful, and the streams are full again. We are all well prepared for leaf-fall and leaf-bare. There is no need for us to invade one another’s territories.” He flashed a glance at Blackstar, who had been sitting with a knowing look on his face, as though he were enjoying the dis- agreement between the other Clans. “That doesn’t mean my borders are not well guarded,” he added pointedly.

“And so are RiverClan’s,” Leopardstar hissed, but she took a pace back, as if acknowledging that the dispute was over. Tallstar moved away, too, leaving Firestar at the front of the rock. Leafpaw knew what was coming; her father paused before he began to speak, and she guessed that he was choosing his words with care. He would not want the other Clans to think that he had driven out his own cats.

“A quarter moon ago,” he began, “the warrior Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw, an apprentice, left ThunderClan. We do not know where they have gone, but we have reason to believe that they did not go alone.” Turning to the other leaders, he went on. “Have any of your warriors gone missing?”

Leopardstar replied willingly enough; Leafpaw guessed that Mistyfoot had told her she had already passed on the news about Stormfur and Feathertail. 

“Two warriors left RiverClan—Stormfur and Feathertail—just before the half-moon. At first we assumed they had crossed the river to live in your territory, Firestar. Since they have connections in ThunderClan”—she spoke with icy disapproval of her warriors’ half-Clan heritage—“we can assume they have all gone together.”

There was a pause; then Tallstar cleared his throat and mewed quietly, 

“WindClan has lost an apprentice, Crowpaw.” Lionblaze and Jayfeather shot each other a look. “It would have been about the same time.” He added, “I thought a fox or a badger might have gotten him, but it looks as if he might be with your lot.”

A murmur of uneasiness broke out in the clearing. Some cat called out, 

“How do you know? Maybe there’s something in the forest picking us off one by one.”

The murmur grew louder, and a cat on the edge of the throng let out a wail of terror. Leafpaw could see cats exchanging fearful glances or springing to their paws as if they were ready to flee from the clearing.

“What about the dogs?” another voice yowled. “Maybe the dogs have come back!”

Firestar paced to the edge of the Highrock and looked down. For a moment he caught Leafpaw’s eye. She shivered; surely he wasn’t going to talk about her link with Squirrelpaw in front of the whole Gathering?

She relaxed as her father began to speak. 

“We wondered about predators too,” he meowed. “But there are none of the signs we would expect to see in the forest—and believe me, ThunderClan would know if the dogs were back. We are sure these cats left of their own accord.”

His calm voice seemed to reassure his listeners; the cats who had sprung up sat down again, though many of them still looked uneasy. Leafpaw was glad her father was an excellent speaker, he could calm down even the most rowdy cats.

“What about ShadowClan?” Firestar turned to Blackstar. “Have you lost cats too?”

The ShadowClan leader hesitated; it was always the nature of that Clan to be secretive, as if information were as precious as prey.

“Rowanclaw,” he meowed at last. “We followed his scent up to Fourtrees, but then we found nothing.”

Murmurs filled the clearing, as the cats tried to make sense of what they had just learned.

“That’s at least one cat from every Clan!” Mothwing exclaimed. “What does it mean?” Sounding frustrated, she added, “Why hasn’t StarClan shown this to me?”

Leafpaw longed to tell her friend what Squirrelpaw and Brambleclaw had told her before they left. She wondered if Cinderpelt would mention the omen she saw in the burning bracken, that fire and tiger would join together, somehow connected to trouble for the whole forest. But when she spotted the medicine cat, crouched beside Littlecloud at the base of the Highrock, her head was lowered and she did not speak. However, Jayfeather rose and called for quiet.

“As you all know, my companions and I are from the future.” he began. “And we have decided to tell you that the missing cats were all sent on a journey, by Starclan themselves.” murmurers started up around the clearing.

“Why?” one cat asked. “Why weren’t the leaders or medicine cats told?”

“I do not know that,” Jayfeather inclined his head. “But I do know that their journey is vital to the clans’ survival. They did not leave out of disloyalty,” he shot Leopardstar a look. “But out of loyalty to their clan. To  _ all _ the clans. But especially to Starclan. I can tell you that they will succeed on their journey.” Cats were quietly discussing what Jayfeather had said, and Tallstar then spoke;

“Thank you, Jayfeather, for telling us this. But,  _ why _ were they chosen? Crowpaw is just an apprentice, as is Squirrelpaw. The most senior warrior amongst them is Rowanclaw, who was made a warrior just before Brambleclaw.” Jayfeather dipped his head.

“That is something only Starclan knows, I’m afraid.” Tallstar looked like he wanted to say more, but Firestar rested his tail on the old leaders’ shoulder.

“Your concern honors you, Tallstar,” Firestar meowed. “But I agree with Jayfeather. There’s nothing we can do. They are all in the paws of StarClan. And may StarClan grant that one day soon they will come back safely.”

Blackstar, who had made no suggestions so far, added derisively, 

“Hope is easy, but it catches no prey. If you ask me, we’ve seen the last of them.” Someone snorted from the crowd of cats and a female voice said;

“I’ll have you know Blackstar, that they will come back. That I can confirm.” It was Needlepaw. She was standing up, nose in the air, and giving her leader an exasperated look. “Rowanclaw is alright in my time, and so are the others.” Needlepaw’s voice quivered a bit on ‘others’, but no one but Leafpaw noticed. “They will return, and you all better except what they have to tell you, or you’re all doomed.” a shocked silence greeted her words and a sigh was heard through the clearing.

“Really Needlepaw? Did you have to drop that on them?” That was Alderpaw. He was sitting beside Needlepaw and Sparkpaw, who had her head in between her paws, clearly exasperated by her friend. Needlepaw shrugged.

“Someone had to.” she meowed. Then she sat back down. Blackstar was staring at her, before he shook his head and began his report on more Twoleg activity around the Thunderpath, even harder when it seemed that the new monsters were all gathered around a boggy piece of ground where the cats never went.

_ What does it matter? _ she thought distractedly.  _ Who cares what Twolegs do? _

When the meeting was brought to a close she said goodbye to Mothwing and hurried to find Cinderpelt. An idea had come to her; she was eager to get back to camp and try it out.

On the way back to the ThunderClan camp she made herself keep to Cinderpelt’s slower pace, until the two medicine cats were walking alone, behind the others. Cinderpelt paused briefly to gaze up at the full moon, now sinking below the trees. 

“Leafpaw, you’re worried about Squirrelpaw, aren’t you? Do you know anything about where she is now?”

The direct question startled Leafpaw, and for a couple of heartbeats she did not know how to reply.

“Come on, Leafpaw.” Cinderpelt narrowed her eyes. “Don’t try to tell me you know nothing.”

Leafpaw stopped and faced her mentor, grateful for the chance to tell the truth. 

“I know that she’s alive, and that she’s with the other cats who have left. But I don’t know where they are, or what they’re doing. They’re very far away, I think— farther than any of the forest cats have gone before.”

Cinderpelt nodded; Leafpaw wondered if StarClan had told her anything about the journey, but if they had the medicine cat said nothing.

“You might tell your father that,” she meowed. “It will help reassure him.”

“Yes, I will.”

They reached the ravine at last; Leafpaw’s paws felt weary as she followed her mentor down the gorse tunnel and into the camp.

“Cinderpelt,” she meowed, “will it do me any harm to eat some of the burdock root?”

“It might give you a bellyache if you eat too much,” Cinderpelt replied. “Why?”

“Just an idea I had.”  _ If I can tell what Squirrelpaw is thinking,  _ she added to herself,  _ maybe she can pick up something from me. _ She almost felt that she was stupid to hope she could reach her sister across such great distances, but she knew she had to try.

Warmth glimmered in Cinderpelt’s eyes, and she did not press her apprentice to say more. Before she went to her nest in the ferns, Leafpaw bit hard into one of the burdock roots stored in the den, and settled down to sleep with the bitter mouthful in her jaws.

_ Burdock root. Burdock root, _ she whispered.  _ Squirrelpaw, can you hear me? Burdock root for rat bites. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Firestar, Tallstar, & Leopardstar panicking about the missing cats*
> 
> Blackstar: R E L A X will you?..............they aren't going to come back anyway.
> 
> Needlepaw: THEY ARE GONNA COME BACK!
> 
> Blackstar: GOING TO!
> 
> Needlepaw: GONNA!!
> 
> Russetfur, sighing: Here we go again....


	17. Midnight Ends And…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We have reached the end of Midnight! Next chapter will be from Moonrise!

The long grass beside the Thunderpath parted and Firestar prowled into the open, the weakening leaf-fall sun shining on his flame-colored pelt. Beside him Graystripe sniffed suspiciously at the air.

“Great StarClan, it smells foul today!” he exclaimed.

Cloudtail and Sandstorm padded up to join them, and Leafpaw, the last member of the patrol, turned away from the clump of marigold she was examining. Cloudtail let out a snort of disgust. 

“Every time I come up here, it takes me all day to get the reek out of my fur,” he complained.

Sandstorm rolled her eyes but said nothing. Graystripe nudged Firestar.

“Remember when we were hunting around here when we were apprentices?” Firestar twitched his whiskers.

“Yes, it was around the time I ran into Yellowfang.” Firestar’s voice had a slight noslatia tone to it.

“I also remember it as the day you decided it was a great idea to touch the Thunderpath.” Graystripe said, empasizing his point with a nod. Firestar twitched his ear, embarrassed. Cloudtail was staring at his uncle, eyes wide.

“You did what?” he asked. Firestar avoided his gaze. Cloudtail, mouth open, turned and looked Leafpaw in the eyes. “And he tells  _ me _ off about jacking around the Thunderpath!” the medicine apprentice  _ mrrowed _ with laughter.

“You know, there’s something strange about today,” Firestar meowed, glancing up and down the Thunderpath as though looking for something to change the subject. “There aren’t any monsters in sight, but the smell’s worse than ever.”

“And I can hear something,” Leafpaw added, her ears pricked.

The wind carried a deep-toned roaring sound toward the group of cats, faint with distance but growing gradually louder. Cloudtail turned to his Clan leader with a puzzled look in his blue eyes. 

“What’s that? I’ve never heard . . .” His voice trailed off and he stood gaping.

Over a rise in the Thunderpath came the biggest monster any of the cats had seen in their lives. Sunlight dazzled off its gleaming body, and its shape rippled in the heat rising from the surface of the Thunderpath. Its throaty roaring grew and grew until it seemed to fill the whole forest.

It came slowly, followed by another and yet another. Twolegs swarmed over them like ticks, yowling at each other, their words all but drowned by the roar of the monsters.

Then as the leading monster drew abreast of the five watching cats, the unthinkable happened. Instead of going past it swerved, crunched over the narrow strip of grass that edged the Thunderpath, and headed straight for them.

“What’s going on?” Graystripe gasped as Firestar howled,

“Scatter!”

He dived for cover into a clump of bracken while his deputy fled deeper into the forest and turned to stare out from underneath a thornbush. Cloudtail shot up the nearest tree and crouched in the fork between two branches, gazing down. Sandstorm headed into a narrow gully with a trickle of water at the bottom, pausing to look back only when she reached the other side, her fur bristling in mingled shock and anger. Leafpaw followed her, and flattened herself in the long grass.

The monster barreled forward on huge black paws that crushed everything in its path. As all five cats watched, frozen with horror, it rammed its shoulder up against an ash tree; the tree shook under the impact, and then, with a shriek like all the prey in the forest dying at once, its roots tore out of the earth.

The tree crashed to the ground.

The monster rolled on.

The destruction of the forest had begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Graystripe & Firestar: *Recalling childhood memories*
> 
> Monster: I CAME IN LIKE A WREEEEECKING BAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!!


	18. Moonrise Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Tis short, but it has everyone's favorite Gorsepaw/heart in it!

Gorseheart was staring at his paws, anxiety running through him. Crowpaw, his apprentice, had been missing for Starclan knew how long, and the young warrior was worried. His head jerked up as Mudclaw stalked through the entrance, looking smug. Gorseheart covertly rolled his eyes.

“Tallstar!” the mottled warrior called. “We caught a couple of Thunderclan warriors on our territory!” the black and white leader raised his head, head tilted.

“Did you now?” he meowed. “Who were they?”

“The new warrior Sorreltail and Leafpaw.” Gorseheart heard Onewhisker hiss.

“You attacked a medicine cat?!” Gorseheart’s former mentor sounded furious.Tallstar rose to his paws as Mudclaw shot Onewhisker a dirty look.

“Is this true Mudlcaw?” the Windclan leader asked, mew quiet. Mudclaw nodded. Tallstar shot his warrior an angry look.

“You should not have attacked them. It is forbidden to harm any medicine cat.” Tallstar gestured for Deadfoot to come by him. “Take a patrol and ask to speak with Cinderpelt and Leafpaw. We will fix Mudclaw’s mistake by seeing what Leafpaw wanted to say.” the deputy nodded, looking worn out. Gorseheart could sympathize. Crowpaw was Deadfoot’s son, and his and Ashfoot’s last surviving kit. Hillkit and Downkit had both died from greencough, and the disappearance of their son worried them.

“Gorseheart,” Deadfoot called. “I’ll take you with. And…” he looked around. “Runningbrook. You too.” the gray she-cat nodded. The patrol of three padded out of the camp, not knowing that they would return without managing to catch a Thunderclan patrol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mudclaw: Ya, I attacked two-no, FOUR Thunderclan warriors! 
> 
> Tallstar & Deadfoot:.......................
> 
> Mudclaw, nervous: And-and-and then I sent them running back home!
> 
> Tallstar & Deadfoot:........................................................
> 
> Mudclaw, now visibly sweating: FINE! FINE! IT WAS SORRELTAIL AND LEAFPAW!
> 
> Onewhisker: *Triggered*
> 
> Tallstar, recognizing Leafpaw's name as his boyfriend's son's daughter: YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!


	19. Leafpaw Goes Commando

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get some Tadpole, now Frogspeck, in this one!

A couple of glittering fish lying on the bank showed just how easy fishing was for Mothwing. Leafpaw gave them a longing glance, wondering if she would ever learn.

“Want some?” Mothwing offered, following her gaze. Leafpaw felt guilty at the thought of being full-fed while the rest of her Clan went hungry. But she had not tasted fresh- kill since the night before, and that had been only a stringy vole. 

“I shouldn’t . . .” she murmured, trying to convince herself that it wouldn’t help her Clan if she starved as well.

“Of course you can. Where’s the harm?”

Leafpaw did not wait to be asked again. She crouched down in front of the fish, tucking her paws in, and sank her teeth into the cool flesh. 

“Delicious,” she mumbled.

Mothwing looked pleased. 

“Learn how to do it, and you can take lots more for your Clan.” She took a few dainty bites, as if she were full-fed already and didn’t care whether or not she ate.

Gulping down the rest of the fish, Leafpaw told herself that she would find food for her Clan to make up for it. As soon as she had finished, she settled down on the rock beside Mothwing and concentrated on the water just below, to wait for a fish of her own.

An unfamiliar scent swept over her at the same instant as Mothwing hissed, 

“Hawkfrost!” 

Leafpaw felt a paw jab hard into her ribs, tipping her over the edge of the rock and back into the river. She thrashed wildly, wondering why Mothwing was trying to drown her. Then as her head broke the surface she saw the huge tabby shape of Hawkfrost approaching the bank, and realized that Mothwing had done the only thing she could to hide her quickly.

Her paws working gently to keep her nose just above the water, Leafpaw let herself drift downriver for a few tail lengths until she came to a clump of reeds where she could crawl out on the ThunderClan side of the river and hide.

Hawkfrost had stopped to talk to his sister, and Leafpaw realized that she would have to crouch where she was, soaked and shivering, until he went away and she could make a break across open ground to the ThunderClan border.

“. . . keeping my eyes open for WindClan,” she heard him meow when her ears were clear of water. “I know very well they’re stealing fish, and one day I’ll catch them at it.”

“Not down here, surely?” Mothwing replied innocently. “WindClan would fish closer to Fourtrees—if they’re fishing at all.”

“WindClan and ThunderClan,” Hawkfrost growled. He added, “I can scent a ThunderClan cat now.”

Leafpaw shivered and shrank down in her clump of reeds.

“So? The border’s over there,” Mothwing pointed out. “It would be odd if you didn’t scent ThunderClan.”

Hawkfrost grunted. 

“There’s something not right in the forest. Cats have gone missing from all the Clans, for one thing. Do you remember what the other leaders said at the last Gathering? That’s four more cats, beside Stormfur and Feathertail. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll find out.”

Leafpaw tensed. She had told Mothwing about the Twoleg monsters, but obviously Mothwing had not passed on the news to the rest of her Clan. Chilled by the hunger in Hawkfrost’s voice, Leafpaw prayed to StarClan that she would say nothing about it now. To her relief, her friend meowed calmly, 

“There’s nothing wrong in RiverClan, so why should we care?”

“Have you got bees in your brain?” Hawkfrost snapped. “This could be our chance to make RiverClan great. If the other Clans are weak, we could rule over the whole forest.”

“What?” Mothwing sounded disgusted. “You’re the one with bees in your brain. Who do you think you are— Tigerstar?”

“There are worse cats to imitate,” Hawkfrost meowed cooly.

Pure icy fear lanced through Leafpaw. Tigerstar had been prepared to kill any cat who opposed him in his quest for supreme power. And now another cat was preparing to follow in his pawsteps.

Another thought sprang into her mind. This was what Mothwing must have meant when she talked about a cat with ambitions, on the day she rescued Leafpaw and Sorreltail from WindClan. She had been worried about her own brother! A few days before, Leafpaw had been sure that the forest would never produce another Tigerstar; now she could only strain her ears, horrified, to make out what Hawkfrost would say next.

“Have you forgotten what happened to Tigerstar?” Mothwing snapped. “He failed, and now he’s just a name to frighten kits with.”

“I shall learn from his mistakes.” Hawkfrost’s voice rum- bled deep in his chest. “Our mother told us enough about him, after all. He broke the warrior code, and he deserved to fail. I shall know better.”

Leafpaw stared at the reeds in front of her, puzzled. Hawkfrost’s mother, Sasha, the rogue cat, had told them about Tigerstar? How did she know? Leafpaw had never met Sasha—the Clanless she-cat had stayed in RiverClan for only a short while, long enough to decide that she wanted her kits to be raised as part of the Clan. No cat knew where she had been before then.

In her bewilderment Leafpaw had not noticed that the wind had changed, and that a playful breeze, twisting its way upriver, had carried her scent with it.

“I can smell ThunderClan,” Hawkfrost declared suddenly. Leafpaw’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest. “The scent’s fresh too. If one of their warriors is on our territory, I’ll claw his fur off.” A rustle from Thunderclan’s side of the border made all three cats stiffen. From the trees slid Icefoot, and he paused as he spotted Hawkfrost and Mothwing, and a soaked Leafpaw, hiding in the bushes on Riverclan’s side of the river. Hawkfrost’s hackles raised.

“I knew I could smell Thunderclan!” he hissed. Icefoot rolled his eyes.

“Of course you can. The border’s right here!” Leafpaw stifled a  _ mrrow _ of laughter as her uncle repeated what Mothwing had said. Judging by the look on Hawkfrost’s face, he didn’t like that he had been reminded of the border once again.

“Been stealing prey have you?” Hawkfrost sneered. “I know you have!” Icefoot sat down and calmly began licking his white paw - a trait he shared with Leafpaw’s sister, Squirrelpaw.

“I have not.” Icefoot meowed at last. “I was just taking a stroll along the river, when I heard someone talking about how they will learn from Tigerstar’s mistakes...as well as planning to take over the clans.” Icefoot’s meow took on a hard, cold tone. His ice-blue eyes were sharp and locked with Hawkfrost’s. The two toms held each other’s gazes, fur spiked, when a splash from downriver made everyone turn their heads. A black tom with amber eyes was swimming up to them. He slid out of the river and shook his pelt. Leafpaw recognized him as Frogspeck, Hawkfrost and Mothwing’s older brother. Her eyes widened as she realized that while she was hidden from Hawkfrost’s sight, Frogspeck could see her. He blinked as his gaze met hers, then glanced up toward his siblings. From behind Hawkfrost, Mothwing was giving her brother a pleading look, clearly asking to not reveal Leafpaw. On the other side of the river, Icefoot was slightly tense, prepared to attack in case Frogspeck gave away his niece. Te black tom twitched his tail and padded up toward his siblings.

“There you are!” he meowed. “Stonefur’s looking for you Hawkfrost. He wants you to join Mistyfoot’s border patrol.” he poked his brother in the shoulder. “The Shadowclan border patrol. Starclan knows you spend too much time sulking around here!” Hawkfrost flattened his ears.

“I don’t  _ sulk _ .” he muttered. Frogspeck gave him a friendly flick with his tail.

“Then get a move on!” Hawkfrost rolled his eyes, shot Icefoot one last dirty look, then left. Frogspeck watched him go before turning to Mothwing.

“You owe me you know.” he meowed, jerking his head toward Leafpaw’s hiding spot. “If it wasn’t your friend Leafpaw here, I would have had to give her away.” Mothwing ducked her head, embarrassed. Frogspeck gave her an affectionate but with his head.

“You can come out now Leafpaw,” Frogspeck meowed. Leafpaw poked her head out of the bushes and awkwardly raised a paw in greeting. Icefoot let out a suffering sigh.

“Why must both of my nieces follow in my brother’s pawsteps?” he muttered. “One goes off to who knows where, and the other bounces around Riverclan territory.” he jerked his head for Leafpaw to come back over to their territory, and she sheepishly did. Icefoot gave the two Riverclan cats a sharp nod.

“Thank you for keeping my niece out of trouble. But I think she might be  _ in _ trouble now.” he gave Leafpaw a stern look. Frogspeck nodded politely.

“No problem.” he meowed. Mothwing waved her tail in goodbye as the Thunderclan cats turned and entered the trees. Once they were a ways away, Icefoot gestured for Leafpaw to sit down. She obeyed and he laid down beside her.

“So….” he began. “What was that about?” Leafpaw scuffled her paws.

“Mothwing was teaching me how to fish,” she meowed quietly. “We thought that if I could learn, I could bring some back to camp for everyone.” Icefoot touched his nose to her ear.

“Your heart was in the right place, but you know we aren’t supposed to take food from other clans.” Leafpaw stared at her paws, slightly ashamed. Icefoot then sighed.

“How about this,” he meowed. “As long as you don’t do that again,” uncle and niece met each other’s eyes. “I won’t tell Firestar.” Leafpaw blinked.

“Really?” she meowed. He nodded, then his whiskers twitched.

“Though, he can’t really scold you for breaking the code. I heard he broke it quite often in his warrior days.” Leafpaw meowed out a laugh as she recalled the stories the elders were fond of sharing. Whitestorm especially loved regaling the events surrounding her father’s apprentice and warrior days. The two cats stood up and stretched and began padding back to camp. Icefoot paused and tasted the air.

“Shadecloud, I know you’re there.” Icefoot’s sister slid out.

“Hey there!” she meowed. “Where were you two at?” Icefoot nodded toward the Riverclan border.

“We were just checking out the border, ran into a few Riverclan cats, nothing much.” the three started walking again.

“Which ones?” she asked.

“Mothwing, Hawkfrost, and Frogspeck.” Leafpaw meowed. Shadecloud nodded.

“Mothwing’s nice, a little naive at times, but she's fun to talk to. Hawkfrost…” she hesitated before saying. “He’s a good warrior, but he can be a bit aggressive at times where you don’t  _ need _ to be, you know?” At Icefoot and Leafpaw’s nods she continued. “And Frogspeck is a fun tom to be around. Friendly, funny, and knows how to keep an eye on his siblings.”

“He sure does.” Leafpaw meowed, recalling what had transpired at the border. As Leafpaw remembered, she was, once again, struck by the powerful tabby’s resemblance to some other cat; the thought bothered her like a tick she couldn’t reach, because she still couldn’t remember who.

Her pelt prickled with unease about what Mothwing had said. Hawkfrost had sounded as ambitious as Tigerstar—and there was no place for that when the forest was on the brink of destruction.

A gleam of dying sunlight pierced the clouds and lay like a streak of blood on the forest floor as the three cats padded through the forest. Leafpaw guessed that Cinderpelt would be wondering where she was, Jayfeather would groan about apprentices never being where they were supposed to, but she needed time to figure out how Hawkfrost and Mothwing knew so much about Tigerstar. Meowing bye to her uncle and aunt, who were fancying a late hunt, she sat down and began to groom her drying fur.

Sasha had been a rogue cat wandering the forest, until she had come to RiverClan with her kits and settled briefly there. She might have visited ShadowClan when Tigerstar was leader. It was possible. . . .

Leafpaw froze. She realized which cat Hawkfrost resembled so strongly. Brambleclaw! And every cat knew who Brambleclaw’s father was. Could it be possible that Tigerstar was Hawkfrost’s, Mothwing’s, and Frogspeck’s father as well? If he was, that would make Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw half brothers, which made sense due to their similar tabby pelts.

She was staring into the trees as if she could see the answer there when her thoughts were interrupted by the frantic beating of wings. She looked up to see a magpie fluttering out of the bushes to land on a branch above her head. At the same time a loud voice exclaimed, 

“Mouse dung!”

The bushes just ahead of her rustled violently and Graystripe appeared, glaring up at the magpie with frustration in his yellow eyes. “Missed it,” he muttered. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me.”

Leafpaw rose to her paws as the deputy approached, dip- ping her head respectfully and letting out a sympathetic purr. She hoped that her pelt was dry enough for Graystripe not to notice that she had been swimming.

“Hello, Leafpaw,” he meowed. “Sorry if I startled you. Actually, I do know what’s wrong with me,” he went on, the tip of his tail twitching uneasily. “I can’t get Feathertail and Stormfur out of my head. I wish I knew where they’ve gone. Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw too.”

Leafpaw felt another pang of guilt. She could save Graystripe so much worry if she told him what she knew about the prophecy, but she had promised the journeying cats that she would keep silent.

“I feel that they’re all safe,” she ventured, “and that they’ll come back to us.”

Graystripe looked up with a flicker of hope in his amber eyes. 

“Has StarClan told you that?”

“Not exactly, but—”

“I can’t help wondering if it has something to do with the Twolegs,” Graystripe interrupted. “Cats go missing—Twolegs invade us. . . .” His paws worked against the ground, tearing up the grass with his claws.

“Graystripe, can I ask you something?” Leafpaw meowed, desperate to change the subject.

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Did you ever meet Sasha—Frogspeck, Hawkfrost, and Mothwing’s mother?”

Graystripe looked at her in surprise. 

“Once. At a Gathering.”

“What was she like?” Leafpaw asked curiously.

“Nice enough,” Graystripe told her. “Quiet and ready to be friendly. A lot like Mothwing to look at. But it was clear that being among a lot of cats spooked her. I wasn’t surprised when she left the forest as soon as Mothwing and Hawkfrost were old enough to do without her.”

“Does any cat know who their father was?”

The deputy shook his head. 

“No. I always assumed it was another rogue.”

“Rogues?”

There was the sound of pawsteps behind them, and Leafpaw spun around to see Firestar approaching from the direction of the camp.

“Have you seen rogues?” he demanded, tension clear in every hair on his flame-colored pelt. “For StarClan’s sake, that’s the last thing we need right now.”

“No, no, not at all.” Graystripe meowed quickly. “Leafpaw was just asking about Sasha, and which cat fathered Frogspeck, Mothwing, and Hawkfrost.”

Firestar turned to look at Leafpaw, his green eyes puzzled.

“Why do you want to know?”

Leafpaw hesitated. She wasn’t about to admit that she had been spending time with Mothwing in RiverClan territory.

“Oh, I just saw Hawkfrost,” she meowed. “He was patrolling on the border with Frogspeck.” Well, she comforted herself, that was not entirely a lie. There was no way she was going to mention her suspicions that Tigerstar had fathered Hawkfrost and Mothwing, not when he and Firestar had been such bitter enemies.

Firestar nodded, though Leafpaw noticed that he had his head tilted, like he was contemplating something that he might know...and something he  _ did _ know. Did Firestar know that Tigerstar was the father of Sasha’s kits?

“Sasha could have told some cat in RiverClan, I suppose.” Firestar meowed.

He padded across to Graystripe and touched noses with his old friend as if he guessed the thoughts that were troubling him. Both cats had lost children among the six cats that had vanished from the forest. They stared up into the trees, where a chilly wind was tugging leaves from the branches until they drifted down to join the other dead leaves on the forest floor.

“They must be cold, with no Clan to shelter them each night,” Graystripe murmured.

“At least they have one another,” Firestar mewed, pressing himself against Graystripe’s side.  **(THE FIREGRAY IS REAL!!)**

For a moment both cats remained silent; then Firestar turned to his daughter. 

“Leafpaw, you sometimes know what Squirrelpaw is thinking, don’t you? You told us she was with the RiverClan cats. Have you any idea where they are now?”

Leafpaw blinked. She couldn’t deny her father the chance to know if Squirrelpaw was alive—and she wanted to know just as fiercely. She shut her eyes and summoned up her old rapport with her sister. Emptying her mind, she concentrated fiercely. She gasped to feel a surge of cold and wet, shuddering as a blast of cold wind probed her drying fur. But there was no sign of Squirrelpaw anywhere—just water, blasting air, and endless rock.

Opening her eyes, Leafpaw blinked in confusion as she realized that her fur was dry and the forest was still. She had made contact with her sister after all!

“She’s alive,” she murmured. Beside her, Firestar’s eyes lit up. “And wherever she is, I think it must be raining. . . .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hawkfrost: I smell Thunderclan
> 
> Mothwing: No you don't.
> 
> Hawkfrost: Yes, I do!
> 
> Icefoot: Now you do.
> 
> Hawkfrost: Well, obviously! You just arrived!
> 
> Leafpaw: *Hiding*
> 
> Hawkfrost: It's still there!
> 
> Icefoot: Ya, because I'M still here!
> 
> Hawkfrost: I SMELL IT!
> 
> Frogspeck: No you don't!
> 
> Hawkfrost: GAAAAAAAAHHH!


	20. Graystripe Loses His Sh-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second one!

She followed Cinderpelt down into the ravine. Before they reached the entrance to the gorse tunnel, Leafpaw heard a patrol returning close behind them. Turning, she saw Firestar, Dustpelt, and Sorreltail. Firestar looked more worried than ever, while Dustpelt’s brown tabby fur was bristling and his tail lashed furiously from side to side.

Cinderpelt limped over to meet Firestar, while Leafpaw hurried to Sorreltail’s side. 

“What in StarClan’s name is going on?”

“WindClan,” Sorreltail mewed, with a glance at the older warriors. “They’ve been stealing prey from us.”

Leafpaw remembered the thin, desperate cats who had chased her and Sorreltail out of their territory, and knew that she was not surprised at the news.

“We found scraps of rabbit fur and bones by the stream near Fourtrees,” Sorreltail went on. “They reeked of WindClan scent.”

“It’s because their rabbits have vanished,” Leafpaw meowed. She pushed aside a guilty memory of how she had taken fish from RiverClan.

“It’s still against the warrior code,” Sorreltail pointed out. “Dustpelt was furious.”

“So I see,” meowed Leafpaw.

She followed her friend down the gorse tunnel to find Firestar and Dustpelt standing beside the fresh-kill pile. Her belly lurched when she saw how small it was.

“Look at it!” Dustpelt gestured with his tail. “How is that going to feed the Clan? You’ll have to do something about WindClan, Firestar.”

Firestar shook his head. 

“We all know that Tallstar wouldn’t allow his warriors to steal prey unless his Clan was in real trouble.”

“Tallstar might not know what’s going on. Besides, ThunderClan is in trouble too. It’s not as if we have prey to spare.”

“I know,” Firestar sighed.

“I’m worried about Ferncloud,” the brown warrior added. “She’s already lost a lot of weight, and she still has three kits to feed.”

“If this goes on, I’ll have to start rationing,” Firestar decided. “But meanwhile, we will do something about WindClan, I promise.”

Whirling around, he bounded across the clearing and leaped to the top of the Highrock. As he yowled out the summons, the rest of the Clan began to appear at once. Leafpaw was shocked to see how lean they were; she had never really noticed before the gradual change from day to day as prey got harder to find.

But now they looked more like skinny WindClan cats than sturdy, forest-born ThunderClan warriors. Dustpelt was right that Ferncloud in particular looked gaunt and exhausted; her kits were thinner, too, and they trailed after their mother as if they had no energy left to play. Were all the Clans—apart from RiverClan—slowly going to starve?

Leafpaw listened anxiously as Firestar told the rest of the Clan what the patrol had discovered. Wails of indignation broke out at the news that WindClan cats had trespassed onto ThunderClan territory and stolen prey.

“WindClan needs to be taught a lesson!” Cloudtail called out. “I haven’t had the sniff of a rabbit for days.”

“We should attack now,” Mousefur put in, her brown fur bristling.

“No,” Firestar meowed firmly. “Things are bad enough without us looking for a battle.”

Mousefur didn’t argue, though she muttered something under her breath, and Cloudtail lashed his tail. Leafpaw saw Brightheart meow a few words to him, trying to calm him down.

“What are you going to do?” Speckletail called out from the entrance to the elders’ den. “Go and ask them nicely not to steal our food? Do you think they’ll take any notice?”

More voices were raised in protest, with more than one cat echoing Mousefur’s demand to attack.

“No,” Firestar repeated. “I’m going to talk to Tallstar. He’s a noble, trustworthy cat; maybe he doesn’t know that his warriors have been stealing prey.”

“And what good will talking do?” Cloudtail snorted. “Blackstar didn’t listen when you went to talk to him.”

“If you ask me,” Speckletail rasped, “you’re crossing Clan boundaries far too often. The last cat to ignore borders like that was Tigerstar.”

Leafpaw winced at the old she-cat’s suggestion that their leader was anything like the murderous Tigerstar. She wasn’t the only cat to be shocked. Several cats turned on Speckletail, hissing fiercely, Icefoot in particular was furious, but when Firestar replied, his voice was calm.

“Tigerstar wanted to satisfy his greed for power. All I want is to make peace. And as for Blackstar,” he added to Cloudtail, “Tallstar has always been more reasonable.”

“That’s right.” Graystripe supported his leader from where he sat at the base of the Highrock. Mousefur’s tail lashed again. 

“Some cats will do  _ anything _ if their bellies are empty.”

Leafpaw listened in dismay as yowls broke out around her, agreeing with Mousefur. She spotted her mother, Sandstorm, exchanging an anxious glance with Graystripe. Lightningfur and Airleap shot nervous looks at Copperleaf.

Firestar signaled with his tail for silence. 

“That’s enough! My mind’s made up. All the Clans are in trouble together now. This is no time to start fighting one another.”

“Be careful, Firestar,” Sorreltail warned him, as the yowls of protest died into discontented muttering. “You may go in peace, but the other clans might not see it that way.” She glanced at Leafpaw, reminding her of their narrow escape from WindClan only a few days ago.

Firestar nodded. 

“WindClan will have to respect a patrol that looks strong enough to fight back,” he meowed. “I’ll make it clear to Tallstar that there’ll be trouble if he can’t control his warriors and keep them on their own side of the border. But we won’t be looking for a fight. With StarClan’s help we can avoid that.”

Leafpaw’s mind filled with images of the scarred moorland she had seen when she visited WindClan territory, and the desperation of the warriors who had chased her. Every hair on her pelt shrank from the idea of attacking WindClan and making their plight even worse.

“This is a bad time for all of us,” she began hesitantly. “We should be trying to help one another. Why don’t we all share the fish in the river? There are still plenty of those.” Icefoot shot her a look, like he was saying  _ What are you doing? _

“That’s for RiverClan to say, not us,” Graystripe pointed out, while Ashfur added, 

“Fishing’s too difficult.”

“No, it’s not,” Leafpaw protested. “We can learn how.”

She noticed that some of the other cats were giving her suspicious looks, as if they were wondering what she knew about fishing. Icefoot was giving her an exasperated look. Embarrassed, she scuffled her forepaws on the ground. “It was just an idea,” she mumbled.

“But not one we can use,” Firestar mewed decisively.

Anxious not to draw any more attention to herself, Leafpaw bowed her head, and sat looking at her paws while Firestar chose the cats who would make up the patrol going to WindClan.

“Graystripe, of course,” he began. “Sandstorm, Dustpelt, Thornclaw. Icefoot and Ashfur. And you, Cinderpelt. Tallstar will listen to a medicine cat if he won’t listen to me.”

Leafpaw realized that he had not chosen any of the cats who had been arguing for an attack straight away, though he had included some formidable fighters. This patrol would not need to run!

She stayed where she was while the meeting broke up, and heard Jayfeather call Alderpaw to run a few errands, but she still kept her eyes fixed on the ground, aware of Firestar leaping from the Highrock and padding over to her.

“Well, Leafpaw,” he began. When she lifted her head, she was relieved to see warm affection in her father’s eyes, and felt even more ashamed of herself. “What’s all this about fishing?”

Leafpaw knew she would have to tell the truth. 

“Mothwing taught me how,” she explained. “She said it was okay, because we’re both medicine cats. . . .”

“You are medicine cat apprentices,” Firestar meowed. “And it sounds as if you both have a lot to learn. You know that it’s against the warrior code to take prey from another Clan. Even medicine cats have to respect that.”

“I know.” Guilt swept over Leafpaw again, making her feel like a naughty kit. She just hoped that RiverClan had not found out what Mothwing had done, and punished her for her generosity. “I’m sorry.”

“I shall have to punish you, you realize that?” Firestar went on. His tail-tip touched her shoulder gently as he added, “I can’t have any cat saying I favor you because you’re my daughter.”

“Oh, come on, Firestar.” Cinderpelt had limped up to join them, and was regarding her Clan leader with amusement in her blue eyes. “I remember a couple of cats who took ThunderClan prey across the river to RiverClan, when the Twolegs poisoned the fish. Surely you haven’t forgotten?”

“No. And Graystripe and I were punished for it,” Firestar retorted. Then he sighed. “Leafpaw, I know it’s hard to see other cats hungry and do nothing about it. But the warrior code is what makes us what we are. If cats can break it when they feel like it, where does that leave us? Whatever is going to happen to the forest—whatever is happening now—we can’t forget everything we believe in.”

“I’m sorry, Firestar,” Leafpaw repeated. She managed to stand up straight and look her father in the eye.

“Let her come with the patrol to WindClan,” Cinderpelt meowed before Firestar could speak. “It’ll be good experience for her.”

Leafpaw looked hopefully at her Clan leader.

“Honestly, Cinderpelt.” Firestar sounded exasperated. “There are cats who would say that’s a reward, not a punishment. Oh, very well,” he added. “We’re leaving right away. I’ll just go and get the others.”

He touched Leafpaw’s shoulder once more before padding away with his tail high.

Sunhigh was long gone and a brisk wind was breaking up the clouds by the time Firestar led his patrol toward Fourtrees. Before they were very far from the camp Icefoot could hear the roar of Twoleg monsters as they forced their way even farther into ThunderClan territory. In contrast, the usual forest sounds—the calling of birds, the rustle of prey in the undergrowth—were silent. Even though leaf-fall had well and truly arrived, Icefoot knew there should be much more prey than this. The small creatures that the cats depended on for their survival were gone, frightened away by Twolegs or even killed as the monsters tore up their forest homes.

As they drew closer to Fourtrees the roar of the monsters died away, and Icefoot could make out the faint scrabblings of prey among the bushes, but it was still much less than usual. He frowned as he imagined a harsh and hungry leaf-bare.

A yowl from Thornclaw jerked his attention.

“Look!”

There was a flash of movement in the thick undergrowth beside the stream. Two cats—a dark brown tom and a tabby— leaped across the stream and streaked up the slope toward Fourtrees. One of them had a small piece of prey, a vole or a mouse, in its jaws.

“WindClan cats!” Sandstorm meowed, her pale ginger fur bristling. “That was Mudclaw and Tornear, I’m sure of it.”

Dustpelt and Ashfur sprang after the fleeing warriors, but Firestar called them back sharply. 

“We mustn’t look as if we’re attacking WindClan,” he told them. “I’m coming in peace, not fury, to speak with Tallstar.”

“You mean you’re letting them go?” Ashfur asked disbelievingly. “With our fresh-kill in their mouths?”

“It’s more proof that they’re stealing prey,” Firestar pointed out. “Tallstar won’t be able to ignore what we have to tell him now.”

“But they’ll warn Tallstar,” Dustpelt protested. “WindClan could ambush us before we get anywhere near their camp.”

“No. Tallstar isn’t like that. If he fights us, he’ll do it in the open.”

The two warriors exchanged doubtful glances before falling in behind Firestar. Dustpelt was still smoldering with anger, but he expressed it with no more than an irritable twitch of his tail-tip. Ashfur, however, was gazing mutinously at the ground.

The patrol crossed the stream, the water still churned and muddy from the WindClan warriors’ paws, and climbed the slope to Fourtrees. 

As they approached the border, the breeze carried a strong scent of cats toward them. Looking out over the windblown grass, Icefoot saw a ragged group of WindClan warriors racing over the crest of the moorland. In the lead he recognized the Clan leader, Tallstar, by his black-and-white pelt and long tail. He must have spotted the ThunderClan patrol, for he slackened his pace and signaled with his tail. His warriors slowed to a walk and spread out to form a long line facing the ThunderClan cats.

“See?” Dustpelt hissed. “They’re ready for us.”

On an unspoken command, the WindClan cats stalked up to the border and halted a couple of tail-lengths from the ThunderClan patrol. Leafpaw was gazing at that, shocked at their thinner than usual pelts. Icefoot curled his tail around her shoulders, his subtle attempt at comforting her.

Hostility burned in Windclan’s eyes, and it was clear that not one of them wanted the ThunderClan visitors to set paw on their territory.

“Well, Firestar?” Tallstar growled. “What do you want with us this time?”

Icefoot noticed Leafpaw gazing along the line of hostile WindClan cats, and locking eyes with a bracken-colored apprentice. The young cat drew its lips back in a snarl; and Icefoot let out a low growl, glaring at the apprentice.

“Well?” When Firestar did not immediately answer his question, Tallstar repeated it. “Why have you come? Do you think we’re so weak that you can drive us out as Brokenstar did?”  **(Tallstar, I know you’re stressed, but was that really necessary?)**

Defiant yowls and hisses broke out from the warriors behind him, and it was a moment before Firestar could make himself heard.

“Tallstar, you have known nothing but friendship from me since the time that Graystripe and I found you and brought you home,” he replied. “Have you forgotten that? I think you must have, or you wouldn’t accuse me of being like Brokenstar.”

Icefoot thought he detected a flash of guilt in the older cat’s eyes, but there was still a challenge in his voice as he meowed, 

“Then why have you come here with so many warriors?”

“Don’t be absurd, Tallstar,” Firestar growled. “I haven’t enough warriors to take on your whole Clan. We want to talk to you, that’s all. WindClan have been stealing prey from ThunderClan territory, and you know as well as I do that that’s against the warrior code.”

Tallstar looked taken aback, as if he genuinely hadn’t known what his warriors were up to. Before he could reply, Mudclaw called out, 

“Prove it! Prove that WindClan has stolen so much as a sniff of prey!”

“What?” Graystripe’s whole body stiffened. “We saw you ourselves just now! And we found prey bones reeking of WindClan scent.”

“So you say,” Mudclaw sneered. “If you ask me, it’s just an excuse to attack us.” Mudclaw hissed at Firestar, claws unsheathed. Icefoot stiffened up, but before he could throw himself at the mottled warrior, Graystripe launched himself across the border, eyes furious, his claws reaching out as he bowled over the WindClan warrior. Mudclaw let out a screech and the two cats rolled on the short moorland grass.

Tallstar gazed down at the two battling warriors with a look of contempt, as if he had found maggots in his fresh-kill. Warriors on both sides were poised to spring, their teeth bared and the light of battle in their eyes. Firestar stepped forward with a fierce hiss. 

“Stop!”

At once Graystripe broke away from Mudclaw’s raking claws and stood back, breathing heavily. Mudclaw scrambled to his paws and glared at him.

“Graystripe, I told you we were not here to fight,” Firestar meowed.

The deputy’s yellow eyes were smoldering. 

“But did you hear the lies he told?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t change my orders. Get back onto our side of the border. Now.”

His tail twitching angrily, Graystripe obeyed.

Cinderpelt limped forward to stand beside Firestar. 

“You know that medicine cats do not lie,” she meowed to Tallstar. “You know, too, that it is not the will of StarClan for warriors to trespass on the territory of other Clans and steal their prey.”

“And is it the will of StarClan for my Clan to starve?” Tallstar asked bitterly. “Yesterday one of our elders died, and he will be the first of many if we don’t do something.”

“If we could help you, we would,” Cinderpelt replied with feeling. “But ThunderClan is short of prey to. The whole forest is suffering because of the Twolegs.”

“We should work together,” Firestar added. “I swear to you by StarClan that if ThunderClan finds an answer to these problems, we will share it with WindClan.”

Tallstar met his gaze with a long, thoughtful look, his bitterness dying away and leaving deep sorrow behind it. 

“An answer? Firestar, I don’t think that even you can find an answer to our troubles. Unless you let us hunt on your territory.” Even while he was speaking, he shook his head, to show Firestar he did not make that suggestion seriously. “No, you are right to keep your own prey. The warrior code demands that you feed your own Clan first. WindClan does not look to you for help.”

Firestar dipped his head to the WindClan leader. 

“Tallstar, we promise you that ThunderClan has not lied to you. There will be no fighting now, but if the prey-stealing doesn’t stop, you know what to expect.”

He turned and walked away, gesturing with his tail for his warriors to follow him. As they withdrew, yowls of derision rose from the WindClan warriors, as if they had fought a bat- tle and driven invaders away from their territory.

Icefoot irritable flicked an ear as the sounds died away behind them as Firestar led the way around the top of the hollow at Fourtrees and down the slope toward the stream.

“Why didn’t we fight it out?” Ashfur demanded. “We could have taught them a lesson that they wouldn’t forget in a hurry!”

“I know,” Firestar sighed. “But as I said before, the Clans cannot afford to turn on one another.”

“And when our patrols catch WindClan stealing prey again?” Dustpelt’s tail twitched; he was short-tempered at the best of times, and Leafpaw knew how anxious he was about Ferncloud and their kits.

“We’ll see them off if we catch them trespassing,” Firestar promised. “But let’s pray to StarClan that Tallstar sees sense and keeps his warriors on their own territory. I don’t think he knew what was going on until today.” Icefoot nodded.

“He did look surprised when you mentioned catching his warriors on out territory.”

“Maybe not. But he’ll back his own warriors now.” Dustpelt paused, his brown tabby fur bristling as if he could see his enemy in front of him.

“Why don’t you go and hunt for a bit?” Firestar suggested. “See if you can find a bit of fresh-kill for Ferncloud.”

Dustpelt glanced at him, his neck fur beginning to relax.

“Okay, I will.” In a reluctant growl he added, “Thanks.”

Swiftly he turned and disappeared into the thicker vegetation beside the stream. Firestar watched him go, his expression full of sorrow.

Icefoot knew that Firestar would never give up, not before the monsters had destroyed every last tree in the forest. But it looked like the time when that might happen was drawing near, and what would Firestar do then?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mudclaw: PROVE IT FIRESTAR!
> 
> Tallstar: Mudclaw, I wouldn't -
> 
> Graystripe: *Murder mode has been activated.* *Please get Firestar to turn it off* *Only Firestar can turn off Graystripe's murder mode* *Thank you*


	21. Alderpaw Gets A History Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And we have a surprise in this chapter! :-D Hope you like!

Alderpaw blinked in the silver light from the Moonstone, letting it soothe him until he felt like a fish sinking into deep water. Here in the cavern, far below Highstones, it was easy to believe that StarClan ruled everything, and the troubles of the world above were too far away to matter. But medicine cats came to the Moonstone only so that they could learn the wisdom of StarClan and take it back to help their Clans. In these dark days, they needed that wisdom more than ever.

The other medicine cats were lying with him around the stone. Mothwing was next to Leafpaw; the RiverClan cat’s eyes were wide with wonder as she gazed at the shimmering crystal surface. Jayfeather was beside him, and the blind tom gestured fro Alderpaw to touch his nose to the stone. Alderpaw complied and cold instantly seized him like a claw, the hard surface of the cave floor vanished from beneath him, and he felt as though he were floating in darkness.

He blinked in confusion, staring around a pool - the Moonpool - that was dark now except for the faint glitter of Silverpelt. In the dim light he could just make out a cat crouched across from him, he made out the strong, muscular figure of a tom with an orange pelt, amber eyes, and his huge paws were all white. Alderpaw blinked, confused as to who this was. Then the dark red tom noticed that the spirit was faded, so he had to be an old member of Starclan. But who was he? Alderpaw tilted his eyes, amber eyes showing his confusion, as the big tom rose to his paws and nodded. He didn’t say a word, but dipped on of his big white paws into the Moonpool water.

“Watch.” the tom meowed. Alderpaw did. The ripples moved across the water, slowly, but the liquid surface was now not reflecting the starry night sky, but now showed Alderpaw huge rock, pointed at the peak, layered in snow. Alderpaw gasped.

“The mountains!” the orange tom nodded.

“The ones of the journey are there, in our ancestral home.” Alderpaw glanced up, confused once more. The tom gestured for Alderpaw to come by him. When the apprentice settled himself down at his side, the huge tom (Who still hadn’t told Alderpaw his name) dipped his paws into the water again, changing the scene.

“You know of the five clans,” the tom meowed. “Windclan,” the moor showed in the pool, “Riverclan,” the river, “Shadowclan,” the marshes, “Skyclan,” an unfamiliar forest showed before switching to the gorge, “And Thunderclan.” the forest. The tom met Alderpaw’s gaze. “The clans have lived here for generations, but not always. The clans had to come from somewhere, and we came from the mountains.” the pool showed the montains once again, closing in on a waterfall. ALderpaw’s eyes widened.

“From the Tribe…” Alderpaw whispered. The tom nodded.

“Yes, your ancestors came from the Tribe of Rushing Water. My father was a prey-hunter, though he was also skilled in battle.” He gave Alderpaw a signifancant look. “His name was Clear Sky, but Starclan gave him the name Skystar.” Alderpaw’s mouth dropped open as the pool showed a gray tom with bright blue eyes. He snapped his head to the side to look at the tom.

“You’re from Skyclan then?” he asked. The tom looked amused.

“You could say that.” he meowed. “More precisely, I left Skyclan with many others, and created my own group in the forest. My own clan.” Alderpaw stared at him, the tom’s words not registering for a bit.

“You mean,” Alderpaw began slowly. “That you’re...you’re... _ Thunderstar _ ?” The orange tom dipped his head. Alderpaw stared, star-struck, at the very first leader of Thunderclan. That explained why the tom’s spirit was so faded, but so defined as well. Thunderstar was an old spirit, but one that will never be forgotten. Alderpaw shook his head to clear it.

“So,” he began. “What - um - why did you show - um - tell me all this?” Alderpaw pointed at the water with his paw. Thunderstar stared into it.

“When we arrived at the forest, I was not yet born. My father and his brother, Gray Wing, were part of the first settlers of the forest. They came because they hoped they could find a better place to live than in the montains, where the cats were slowly starving to death. Eventually, we all spread out into our own groups, not yet clans, and lived in reletivly good peace. With a few bumps along the way.” Thunderstar’s eyes darkened. “The first was an unessary battle, caused by Clear Sky. It was…” Thunderstar shivered at the memory. “Terrible. Friend turned on friend. Sister and brother killed each other. I myself nearly caused the death of another, which horrified me to no end. It all ended when Clear Sky finally saw sense just before he nearly killed Gray Wing.” Thunderstar sighed. Alderpaw was listening, rapt with attention. “We all swore that another battle like that would never be fought.” Thunderstar turned to Alderpaw, stars shinning in his amber gaze. “But, you are aware of the Great Battle. The second battle that will have friend turn on friend, and siblings killing each other. The Starclan you are familiar with did not decide to send you and your companians back. We did.” Alderpaw blinked as four more starry figures appeared. A black she-cat. A long-haired silver tom. A brown, wiry she-cat. And the gray tom from the pool. Shadowstar. Riverstar. Windstar. And Skystar. Alderpaw gazed around, awe-struck, before asking;

“Why did you send us back? Was it to prevent the Great Battle?” Shadowstar shook her head.

“No, young one.” she meowed, her voice light. “The Great Battle cannot be adverted. The everlasting darkness will only continue to grow stronger, and it will eventually cause even more damage.” At the apprentice’s confused look, Riverstar meowed;

“If the Great Battle doesn’t come to pass when it’s supposed to, the Dark Forest will only continue to grow stronger, filling its ranks with the most dispicable cats. You already know some of those names.” Alderpaw nodded.

“Tigerstar. Hawkfrost. Brokenstar. Darkstripe. Mapleshade.” Windstar nodded.

“Correct. But along with those names are the ones from our time. Like us, they still exist. But unlike us, they do not need to be remembered to do so.”

“Who are they?” Alderpaw asked, aghased. Skystar spoke;

“One-eye and Slash.” When he had Alderpaw’s attention, the gray tom continued. “One-eye was part of my clan at one point. But it was all a sham. He drove me out and tormented my cats, leaving them to die of the sickness sweeping through the clans. We managed to draw him into a trap, and he was killed by Cloud Spots, Lightning Tail, Gray Wing, and Thunderstar.” Alderpaw glanced at Thunderstar, and the leader shrugged.

“Because of that,” the orange tom muttered. “One-eye hates Thunderclan more than any other - except Skyclan. But he can’t get at them right now, so…” he rolled his eyes. “Our clan is the next target.” Alderpaw sighed, closing his eyes and flattening his ears.

“What is up with all the Dark Forest cats hating Thunderclan?” he muttered. Windstar shrugged.

“No clue. The number of times Thunderstar here has marched right up to the border and started yelling at them to leave his clan alone…” she trailed off and shook her head. Thunderstar gave her the stink eye.

“You would do the same if it was your clan being targeted.” he meowed. She flicked her tail, not disproving his statement. Thunderstar groaned. “So, back to what I was saying, Slash was the other rouge who caused trouble for us. He kidnapped Gray Wing’s son, Black Ear, and nearly got him killed.” Skystar huffed. 

“And he kidnapped my mate, Star Flower, and threaten to kill her and our unborn kits if we didn’t compley with his demands.”

“One-eye and Slash were the start of the Dark Forest,” Riverstar meowed softly. “And to bring about the end, or in other words, weaken them completly, they need to fade. Once and for all.” Alderpaw slowly nodded, then nodded more firmly.

“I’ll tell the others about this, and Firestar. We will have to leave after Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Hollyleaf are born, so someone from this time has to know.” Shadowstar nodded.

“Very good idea.” she meowed. “Until next time.” All the leaders, except Thunderstar, faded into starlight. Thunderstar touched noses with Alderpaw.

“Until we meet again.” the first Thunderclan leader dipped his head, then faded. Alderpaw woke with a start back in the cavern of the Moonstone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thunderstar: *Seems calm, but is secretly annoyed*
> 
> Shadowstar: *Quiet, but authoritative*
> 
> Riverstar: *Calm and Stable one*
> 
> Windstar: *Sarcastic and the eye-roll is her catch-phrase*
> 
> Skystar: *Watches and Learns, folks, watches and learrrrrnssss*
> 
> Alderpaw: *Star-struck fanboy vibes*


	22. Dappletail Goes Spastic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?! As of now, I have all the chapter written and done. I just need to post them.

“The rabbit smelled bad,” Cinderpelt reported to Firestar. “Barkface said that cats who ate them died. I believe him. This rabbit we saw wasn’t infected with any sort of sickness I’ve encountered. It must be something the Twolegs have done.” Firestar’s green eyes brightened with shock.

“This means we can’t eat rabbits either,” he meowed. “Great StarClan, what next? We’ll all starve.” 

“No cat has died in our territory yet,” Sandstorm pointed out from where she sat a tail-length away, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws. She twitched as a falling leaf brushed against her ear. “Maybe the trouble’s just in WindClan.”

“But rabbits run across the border all the time,” replied Cinderpelt. “It might be safe to eat rabbits from the other end of our territory, near the Treecut place, but I don’t think we should take the risk even there.” Firestar closed his eyes, heaved a deep sigh, and meowed;

“You’re right. I’ll announce it to the rest of the Clan. No more rabbits.”

“Well, we have to eat something.” Sandstorm got briskly to her paws. “I’ll get my hunting patrol together and see what we can find.” She padded away and disappeared between the branches of the warriors’ den.

“Meanwhile,” mewed Cinderpelt, “we’d better get rid of any rabbits in the fresh-kill pile.” Firestar silently agreed, but he couldn’t help worrying about how the clan would be fed. Studying the pathetically small pile of prey, the flame-colored tom only saw one rabbit; it looked plump and inviting, and his daughter was staring at it, like she longed to take a bite, but he also saw her nose scrunched up at the thought of what the Twolegs could have done to it.

“Take it outside the camp and bury it,” Firestar directed, not wanting anyone to become tempted to take a bite.

“Wait—don’t pick it up in your mouth,” Cinderpelt added. “Push it out with your paws, and then clean them with moss.”

Leafpaw had just separated the rabbit from the pile when Dappletail, the oldest cat in the Clan, came past and gave the prey an appreciative look.

“I hope that’s for the elders,” she rasped. “My belly’s flapping like a leaf in the wind.”

“No.” Cinderpelt explained what she and Leafpaw had seen in WindClan territory.

“What? I’ve never heard such nonsense!” Dappletail snorted. “WindClan has a bit of trouble, so ThunderClan can’t eat rabbits? Barkface might have been lying, just to weaken ThunderClan. They’ve always been a proud, deceitful Clan. Have you thought of that?”

“The decision’s been made.” Firestar spoke with the authority of Clan leader. “No more rabbits. Leafpaw will take that one out and bury it.”

“She’ll do no such thing!” Outraged, Dappletail darted for the rabbit and began tearing into it hungrily and gulping down huge mouthfuls.

“No!” Cinderpelt exclaimed. “Stop!”

Firestar sprang forward, pushing himself between the elder and her prey, and thrusting her gently away. 

“Dappletail, I’m ordering you not to eat that. It’s for your own good.”

The old cat’s eyes burned into his, her gaze full of hostility. Seeing her skinny body, her tortoiseshell pelt dull and patchy, Firestar could understand her desperation. The old cat was usually one of the gentlest queens; only starvation would have driven her to this.

“Do you call yourself a leader?” she spat at Firestar. “The whole Clan will starve, and it will be your fault.”

“Firestar’s doing the right thing,” Cinderpelt insisted. “There’s no point feeding the Clan with food that could kill us quicker than any hunger.”

Dappletail turned on her, with lips drawn back in the beginnings of a snarl. Then she whipped around and stalked across the clearing toward the elders’ den.

Firestar watched her go, closed his eyes, and sighed.  _ Starclan, I beg you, let that rabbit be safe. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dappletail: Gimme that rabbit.
> 
> Leafpaw, slowly moving the rabbit away: Um....no...
> 
> Dappletail: Give me that rabbit!
> 
> Cinderpelt: No.
> 
> Dappletail: GIVE ME THAT RABBIT!!
> 
> Firestar, physically holding her back: NO!


	23. Shadecloud Gives A Pep Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter! We get a lot more character from Shadecloud & Frogspeck. Plus.....it's also setting up the FrogShade ship I'm planning on. :-)

Leafpaw had just begun to search for herbs again when she heard the shrill wailing of a cat coming from the river. For a moment she wondered if she ought to cross the RiverClan border. She made up her mind when the wail came again; some cat was in trouble. Without any more hesitation Leafpaw bounded down the slope. She nearly crashed in Shadecloud, who quickly meowed;

“Did you hear it too?” Leafpaw nodded at the gray she-cat, and they took off again.

The river surged along between its banks, swollen by leaf- fall rain. Branches and other debris were swept along in the current, bobbing and swirling on the white-tipped ripples.

Leafpaw gazed out over the water, wondering where the cry had come from. Then she spotted a branch surging along close to the RiverClan side; half hidden by its few remaining leaves was the small black head of a cat. As Leafpaw watched, it opened its jaws wide to let out another terrified wail as it clung to a branch for its life.

Leafpaw tensed, ready to leap into the river even though her common sense told her that it would do no good. Shadecloud took a step forward like she was going to do the same, but the current was too strong and swift, and the drowning cat was too far away.

Just before the two she-cats leaped, Leafpaw saw another cat thrust its way through the reeds on the far bank and jump into the river, striking out with strong paws toward the floating branch.

Leafpaw recognized the blue-gray fur at once: It was Mistyfoot.

She watched, claws flexing in and out in anguish, as Mistyfoot reached the branch and began to push it across the current toward the RiverClan bank. But before they reached it, the waves rolled the branch right over, dragging Mistyfoot with it so that she disappeared into the black water. Leafpaw let out a gasp of horror as Shadecloud’s fur spiked. Then there was a splash and she resurfaced closer to the bank, where her paws found a foothold on the pebbles. Leafpaw shivered with relief as she watched Mistyfoot drag the other cat out by the scruff of its neck and crouch beside it. The tiny, bedraggled shape lay utterly still, water streaming from its pelt.

“Can I help?” Leafpaw called, wondering if Mistyfoot would remember that she was a medicine cat apprentice.

Mistyfoot glanced up. 

“Yes! Come over!”

Leafpaw raced down the bank, Shadecloud paces behind her, until they reached the stepping-stones. Floodwater was lapping over them, but she launched herself onto the first without hesitating. Moments could mean the difference between life and death for the black cat.

She was leaping for the third stone when her paws slipped and she scrabbled frantically against the slick wet surface. The river bubbled around her and for a heartbeat she thought she would be swept away, drowning and tumbling in bottomless black water. In the midst of surging terror, she felt teeth meet her scruff, pulling her back onto the stone. 

“Thanks Shadecloud!” she meowed as they leaped quickly over the other stones and dashed along the far bank toward Mistyfoot and the cat she had rescued.

Before Leafpaw could reach them, Hawkfrost, Frogspeck, and Mothwing pushed their way out of the reeds and stood over the black cat.

“What happened?” Hawkfrost demanded.

“Reedpaw fell in the river. We need Mudfur,” Mistyfoot meowed. “Can you fetch him? Quickly!”

“He went out to collect herbs,” Mothwing told her. “I’ll go and look for him.”

She sprang along the path that led upstream, but Frogspeck called her back. 

“It’ll take too long,” he rasped. He flicked his ears toward the still black cat. “You see to him, you know what to do.”

Just then, Hawkfrost became aware of Leafpaw and Shadecloud approaching. He looked up and glared at them with his eerie ice-blue eyes.

Leafpaw felt a shiver run through her. Shadecloud just calmly met his gaze and glared right back.

“What are they doing here?”

“I called them over,” Mistyfoot explained. “Reedpaw needs all the help he can get.”

Hawkfrost let out a disgusted snort. Leafpaw ignored him as she crouched beside the black cat. He was very small— newly apprenticed, she guessed—and he lay quite still, with a trickle of water coming out of his parted jaws. There was a gash on his shoulder; blood was oozing into his sodden fur.

“He must have fallen,” Mistyfoot meowed worriedly. “The apprentices are always playing too close to the river. It looks as if the branch hit him.”

Leafpaw bent closer to Reedpaw. A huge sigh of relief escaped her as she detected the faint rise and fall of his chest. He was still breathing—but his breaths were fast and shallow, and seemed to grow weaker as Leafpaw watched. She glanced at Mothwing, waiting for her to start treating the injured cat.

Mothwing’s huge amber eyes were fixed on the limp body of the apprentice.

“Well?” Hawkfrost meowed impatiently. “Get on with it.”

Mothwing looked up, and Leafpaw saw the glare of panic in her eyes. 

“I—I’m not sure. I haven’t brought the right herbs. I’ll have to go back to camp. . . .”

“Reedpaw hasn’t time for that!” Mistyfoot rasped.

Leafpaw understood her friend’s panic. They were only apprentices; they weren’t ready yet to hold the lives of cats within their paws. Where was Mudfur? Frogspeck touched his nose to his sister’s ear.

“Come on Mothwing,” he meowed. “Think.”

Then a gentle voice spoke inside Leafpaw’s mind.  _ Leafpaw, you can do this. Remember what Cinderpelt has taught you. Cobwebs for the bleeding . . . _

“Yes—yes, I remember now,” Leafpaw mewed out loud.

Hawkfrost stared at her with narrowed eyes. 

“Do you know what to do?”

Leafpaw nodded.

“Right. Do it. You—out of the way.” Hawkfrost shouldered his sister to one side so that Leafpaw could get closer to Reedpaw.

Mothwing let out a faint meow of protest; Leafpaw glanced up at her to see her amber eyes still wide and shocked and her ears flat to her head.

“Hawkfrost!” Frogspeck meowed crossly. “That was uncalled for!” he curled his tail around Mothwing’s shoulder, whispering encouragement into her ear. Mothwing’s eyes widened as she remembered.

“Oh! We’ve got to get the water out of him!” she meowed. Leafpaw nodded and looked at Frogspeck and Shadecloud.

“Go and find me some cobwebs,” Leafpaw instructed them. “Quickly!”

The two warriors whirled around and dashed up the riverbank to the bushes at the top of the slope.

Leafpaw bent down and worked her shoulder under Reedpaw’s, propping him up until water gushed out of his mouth. The apprentice started to cough feebly and let out a faint cry of pain.

“Lie still,” Mistyfoot told him, giving his muzzle a reassuring lick. “You’re going to be okay.”

“That’s right,” Mothwing meowed urgently to the RiverClan warrior. “Keep licking him—lick his fur the wrong way to help it dry and get him warm.”

At once Mistyfoot bent down beside the young apprentice and began licking vigorously; after a moment’s hesitation Hawkfrost began to do the same on his other side. Leafpaw licked at the gash on Reedpaw’s shoulder, cleaning it of scraps of bark and leaf. She knew she had to get it clean to avoid infection setting in.

“Here,” Shadecloud gasped, reappearing beside Leafpaw with a wad of cobwebs. “Is this enough?”

“That’s fine, Shadecloud.” Leafpaw meowed as Mothwing took the cobwebs and placed them onto Reedpaw’s wound. Frogspeck sat down beside Shadecloud, watching with concern in his amber eyes.

“That’s fine,” Leafpaw repeated after she finished checking his wound. “Reedpaw, do you hurt anywhere else?”

The apprentice coughed again; under Mistyfoot’s and Hawkfrost’s energetic licking he was beginning to revive.

“No,” he rasped. “Just my shoulder.”

Leafpaw examined him for other injuries anyway, but she couldn’t find any. 

“I think you’re lucky,” she meowed.

“He’s lucky you were here,” Hawkfrost growled, with a hostile look at his sister. “Mothwing, what was the matter with you? You froze up! You’re supposed to be a medicine cat!”

Mothwing shrank away, and would not meet her brother’s gaze. Frogspeck stepped in between his siblings.

“Yes, she froze up,” the black tom meowed. “But she  _ did _ get her head on straight and helped Leafpaw mend the wound!” Frogspeck shook his head. “One of these days, I’m just going to drag you both out of camp and demand you to talk to me about why you’re all acting like this!”

“Reedpaw, can you stand up?” Leafpaw asked, diplomatically not reacting to the Riverclan siblings’ relationship issues.

For an answer, the apprentice staggered to his paws. Mistyfoot supported him on his other side, letting him lean against her with his uninjured shoulder.

“Think you can make it back to camp?” Hawkfrost demanded.

Reedpaw nodded. 

“Thanks . . .” His voice trailed off as he looked at Leafpaw and his eyes widened. “You have ThunderClan scent!” He looked at Shadecloud. “And so do you!”

“That’s right. My name’s Leafpaw. I’m Cinderpelt’s apprentice.” Leafpaw meowed. “And that’s Shadecloud.” the gray she-cat lifted her tail in greeting. “Take him straight back,” she added to Mistyfoot. “If Mudfur’s there, he’d better check him.” Mothwing nodded, recovering a bit from Hawkfrost’s criticism. 

“And if he’s not, we can give him some thyme leaves to chew for the shock.” she meowed. Frogspeck butted his head against her shoulder, purring at her regaining confidence.

Hawkfrost turned away to pad upstream, toward the RiverClan camp. Mistyfoot followed, supporting Reedpaw. The black apprentice was still shaky, but he paused and meowed a quick thank you. Mistyfoot then meowed, amused;

“You know Reedpaw, you have a tendency to be rescued by someone related to Firestar.” Reedpaw ducked his head. At Leafpaw and Shadecloud’s confused looks, Mistyfoot elaborated.

“When Reedpaw was a young kit, the floodwater swept him and Primrosepaw away from camp. Firestar and Graystripe saved their lives.” she gave her son a loving lick. “And now he’s been saved by you, Leafpaw, and you Shadecloud.” the gray she-cat blinked.

“But I didn’t do anything.” she meowed. Frogspeck gave her a friendly shove.

“You helped gather the cobwebs,” he said. “That’s good enough for me!” Shadecloud, embarrassed, dipped her head in response to the thanks. Mistyfoot and Reedpaw then continued on until a clump of reeds hid them from Leafpaw’s sight.

As they left, Leafpaw couldn’t help feeling envious of their sleek pelts and strong muscles. Even Reedpaw, with his fur drying rapidly in the cold wind, looked healthy and well fed. RiverClan was the only Clan that still had plenty of prey, the only Clan not to be affected by the Twolegs tearing up the forest.

Shaking off her resentment, Leafpaw glanced at Mothwing and Frogspeck. 

“Reedpaw will be fine now.” she meowed. The brown tabby tilted her head at Mothwing’s glum look. “Mothwing?” Leafpaw meowed, concerned. Frogspeck gave his sister a lick.

“You’re not thinking about what our mouse-brained brother said are you?” he meowed. Mothwing hesitated before bursting out.

“I lost it. . . . My first chance to show that I’m fit to be a medicine cat, and I freeze up! Like some helpless cat who can’t stand the sight of blood!”

“Everybody makes mistakes.” Leafpaw tried to soothe her.

“You didn’t.” Mothwing sighed. “Somehow I couldn’t think straight. I just panicked, and I couldn’t remember.”

“But you did remember.” Shadecloud meowed.

“Only because Frogspeck got my head on straight.” Mothwing muttered, tearing fiercely at the ground with sharp, curved claws. “Hawkfrost will tell every cat how useless I was, and Mudfur will wish he’d never chosen me. And the Clan will never respect me now!”

“Of course they will.” Leafpaw padded up to her friend and pushed her nose into Mothwing’s beautiful golden tabby fur. “It’ll all be forgotten soon, you’ll see.” She was shocked that Mothwing was so sure her brother would spread the news of her failure around the camp. She would have expected Hawkfrost to be more loyal to his sister.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Mothwing mewed bitterly, making Leafpaw jump. “Hawkfrost is loyal to the Clan, not to me or to any cat. He cares more for being a great warrior than anything else.” Frogspeck buried his nose into her fur as she said that.

_ Like Tigerstar, _ Leafpaw thought with an inward shiver.

“You’re so lucky, Leafpaw.” Mothwing’s voice was despairing. “You’re Clanborn, and your father is a Clan leader. My mother was a rogue, and no cat will ever forget that.” Shadecloud frowned and held out her tail to stop Mothwing from walking away.

“You do know that I was a rouge once, right?” Mothwing and Frogspeck blinked, surprised. “You don’t?” Shadecloud shook her head. “Well, my brothers Stonebrook and Icefoot and I were all born kittypets, but through circumstances I have no desire to talk about right now, we all ended up on the streets. Icefoot created Bloodclan, but he fled when Brick took over. He managed to find us and we made our way to Thunderclan, and they let us join.” She held Mothwing’s amber gaze with her own red-orange one. “What I’m trying to say here, is that it doesn’t matter where you came from. Just get your head into the patrol and do your best, because that is all you can do. And if they don’t appreciate it? Their loss.” Shadecloud twitched her tail. “Just do what you do best, and take pride in what you can do and what you have done.” Frogspeck flicked his ears toward the Thunderclan warrior.

“She’s right you know.” Mothwing studied her paws and slowly nodded her head. Frogspeck nodded his head in thanks to Shadecloud before the two siblings padded away.

“You know,” Leafpaw meowed as she and her aunt crossed the river back into their territory. “That was a really nice thing you did for Mothwing.” Shadecloud shrugged.

“She needed a confidence boost. And I’m always happy to give one.”

Leafpaw, feeling more optimistic than she had felt in moons, collected Cinderpelt’s chickweed and hurried back to camp with Shadecloud. When they reached the top of the ravine they paused; Leafpaw’s optimism vanished and an icy claw closed around her heart at the sound of the shrill wails and yowling coming from the clearing below. As she looked down, Mousefur and Rainwhisker burst out of the gorse tunnel and raced up the ravine, hurtling past Leafpaw and Shadecloud without even noticing them.

Leafpaw bounded down to the camp and brushed through the tunnel, terrified of what she would find. Had the Twolegs reached this far already? Firestar was standing at the foot of the Highrock with Graystripe, Sandstorm, and Brackenfur clustered around him. Outside the apprentices’ den Whitepaw crouched, wailing like a kit. Shrewpaw and Spiderpaw were trying to comfort her. Icefoot and Stonebrook were anxiously talking.

Leafpaw skidded to a halt, bewildered. Why was everyone so upset? There were no alien scents in the camp, and no signs of Twoleg devastation. She spotted Cinderpelt, limping wearily into the fern tunnel that led to the medicine cats’ clearing.

Leafpaw raced after her while Shadecloud hurried over to her littermates. 

“What’s the matter?” she demanded, dropping the chickweed. “What’s happened?”

Cinderpelt turned and gazed at her, her blue eyes full of sorrow. 

“Dappletail is dead,” she explained, and the lack of emotion in her voice scared Leafpaw as much as anything else. “And Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap have disappeared.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mothwing: *Is sad, unconfindent, unsure of herself*
> 
> Shadecloud: YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE WHO YOU WANT! DON'T LET ANYONE! AND I MEAN ANNNYYYYYONE! TELL YOU YOU ARE WORTHLESS, OR PATHETIC!!! BE WHO YOU WANNA BE GIRL!!!
> 
> Frogspeck, about Shadecloud: She's kind of a great cat.


	24. Gossiping 101: Featuring Thunderclan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And here we go.....some more missing cats! Also....some slight Ashfur hate. *Evil laugh* I have plans for you Ashy.....oh do I have plans for you...... *Insane evil laughter*

As the elders departed through the gorse tunnel, the other cats gathered together in little groups, mewing urgently and casting anxious glances at one another. Leafpaw could not hear what they were saying, but she didn’t need to. She knew they would be discussing the disappearance of Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap. That made five cats that were missing from ThunderClan, but Leafpaw could not believe that StarClan had summoned Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap away too—unless the others had already failed on their quest, and would never return.  _ If you can’t help us, StarClan, _ she thought desperately,  _ why are you taking our cats away? _

Cinderpelt broke into her thoughts, pushing her nose into Leafpaw’s fur in wordless comfort, then limped forward a pace or two to meet Firestar and Graystripe. Leafpaw spotted Mousefur loping across the clearing after them with Thornclaw, Copperleaf, and Ashfur just behind her.

“I’m taking out the dawn patrol,” Mousefur announced as she came up. “Do you still want us to look for Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap?”

“Not that there’s much point, if they left on purpose,” Ashfur added darkly.

Leafpaw’s heart sank even further as she remembered the Clan’s efforts the day before to find the two cats. Patrols had covered the entire territory, picking up a scent-trail leading toward the place where the Twolegs had destroyed the forest. It had broken off abruptly near one of the huge tree-cutting monsters, and after that there was nothing.

“Keep your eyes open,” Firestar replied. “That’s all you can do.”

“I wouldn’t put it past Cloudtail to have gone back to the Twolegs,” Mousefur growled. “With so little prey in the forest, even Twoleg food must look tempting.”

“And he ate it often enough when he was an apprentice,” Ashfur put in.

“Yes, don’t forget the time he left us,” Mousefur mewed. “Cats were put at risk, rescuing him from the Twolegs.”

“That’s enough!” Graystripe hissed. Creekflower was standing to the side, fur fluffed up at the way Ashfur and Mousefur were talking about her son.

“I’ll have you know,” the tabby queen hissed. “That I am aware of what happened, and as I recall, Cloudtail was forcibly taken away. He didn’t willingly go with the Twolegs! Watch what you say about my son!” Brindleface, a little ways away, had padded up to the distraught mother and whispered words of comfort into her ear. The two queens had bonded ever since Creekflower found out that Brindleface had taken care of Cloudtail ever since he was a kit.

“It’s been a long time since Cloudtail ate kittypet food.” Cinderpelt meowed sharply to Ashfur and Mousefur. “He was young and stupid then.”

“Besides, Brightheart would never do that.” Graystripe supported his missing Clanmates with a flash of his amber eyes. “And Airleap had always complained about how bad the food is. We have to figure out why they’re all missing.”

“And why they left Whitepaw behind,” Thornclaw meowed. “She’s Cloudtail and Brightheart’s only kit.”

Mousefur grunted. 

“True. I wonder if they went over to RiverClan?” she suggested. “Stealing fish?”

“Now I wouldn’t put that past Cloudtail,” Cinderpelt agreed, but there was no hostility in her voice.

Graystripe thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“No. If RiverClan caught them they’d just chase them off. There’d be trouble at the next Gathering, but our cats wouldn’t just disappear.”

_ Unless they fell in the river, _ Leafpaw thought, not daring to put words to the idea. She couldn’t forget the surge of floodwater when she nearly fell off the stepping-stones, on her way to help Reedpaw.

“Their scent trail didn’t lead toward RiverClan,” Firestar pointed out. “I can’t help thinking it’s strange that it ended so close to the Twoleg monsters. Suppose . . .”

He let his voice die away, but Leafpaw saw the anxiety in his eyes, and she could guess what his thoughts were. She had seen how the first Twoleg monster turned from the Thunderpath and began to tear up the forest. If a cat got in its way it could be crunched in those powerful jaws without the monster even realizing it. She shivered, and her gaze met her father’s. They were both fond of their wayward kin Cloudtail, Leafpaw loved Brightheart fiercely for her courage, and Airleap was always ready to provide a bright side to everything. The three cats would be a great loss to their Clan.

“Just carry on as usual, Mousefur,” Firestar decided. “And report if you see anything odd.”

“I always do.” Mousefur hurried off with the two younger warriors behind her.

Firestar shook himself as if he was pushing useless thoughts away. 

“Cinderpelt, has StarClan shown you anything at all about Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap?”

“No,” Cinderpelt replied. “Nothing at all.”

“Or any signs about more warriors going missing in the forest? It’s . . . it’s not all that long since Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw disappeared.” He choked the words out like half-eaten bones.

Again Cinderpelt shook her head. 

“StarClan is silent. I’m sorry.”

Yet again, Leafpaw struggled with the urge to tell her father and mentor what she knew, that Brambleclaw and Squirrelpaw had been summoned away by StarClan to discover something that would help the forest. Yes, Jayfeather told the clans that they were on an important mission, but that wasn’t everything. But she hardly knew what to say anymore. Whenever she tried to reach Squirrelpaw she had nothing but confused, terrifying impressions of rushing water, darkness, and raking claws—blood, rock, and water churned together. She couldn’t reassure Firestar that Squirrelpaw was all right, nor give Graystripe hopeful news of his missing children from RiverClan.

“Perhaps I ought to make a trip to Highstones,” Firestar meowed. “StarClan might speak to me, as long as it’s something  _ good _ —” He broke off as Brackenfur came up, his apprentice, Whitepaw, just behind him. Leafpaw briefly wondered what Firestar had been talking about, before Leafpaw’s heart went out to the white apprentice.

The young cat’s head was bowed, and her tail trailed in the dust. She was obviously grieving for the loss of her parents.

“Firestar, I think you ought to have a word with Whitepaw,” Brackenfur mewed worriedly.

Firestar’s ears flicked up. 

“Why, what’s the matter?”

Whitepaw looked up at him. 

“I want to be excused from training,” she begged, her eyes burning with the intensity of her plea. “I want to look for Cloudtail and Brightheart.”

“I’ve told her she can’t go off on her own,” Brackenfur continued. “But she—”

“Please,” Whitepaw interrupted. “I’m only an apprentice. The Clan can do without me. I’ve got to find them.”

Firestar shook his head. 

“I’m sorry, Whitepaw,” he meowed gently. “Apprentices are important to the Clan, just as much as any other cat. Besides, Brackenfur is quite right. You can’t go wandering off by yourself, especially now, when we don’t know what the danger is. In fact, no cat should leave camp alone.”

“We’ve searched already,” Graystripe added. “We did everything we could.”

“But it wasn’t enough!” Whitepaw wailed. Leafpaw knew that Whitepaw would never have spoken to the Clan deputy like that if she hadn’t been driven out of her mind with worry.

“StarClan will be with them wherever they are,” Cinderpelt murmured comfortingly, pressing her nose into Whitepaw’s fur.

“Brackenfur, take out a hunting patrol,” Firestar meowed. “StarClan knows, we can use the fresh-kill. Whitepaw, go with him; you can keep your eyes open for Cloudtail and Brightheart as well as Airleap. But you’re not to leave your mentor, is that clear?”

Whitepaw nodded; she was looking a little more hopeful.

“I’ll go with you,” Graystripe offered, “and I’ll get Sandstorm to come as well. If any cat can find them, she can.” He hurried off into the warriors’ den. Dovewing, who had been quietly listening, followed him and asked to come with. Cinderheart, after Graystripe said yes, asked a quick, quiet, question and Dovewing nodded.

“Thank you, Firestar,” mewed Whitepaw, dipping her head respectfully before following her mentor toward the camp entrance.

Leafpaw watched until Graystripe and Sandstorm came to join them, and all four cats disappeared into the gorse tunnel.

“We aren’t safe in our own territory anymore,” Firestar murmured. “But surely five cats can’t go missing without—”

He broke off as a low, feeble wail rose up from the nursery. Leafpaw whipped around to see Dustpelt emerge. He staggered forward for a couple of tail-lengths and sank to the ground as if his legs would not hold him up.

With a glance at her father, Leafpaw dashed across to him, visions of disaster rushing through her head. Firestar and Cinderpelt followed, and came to a stop in front of Dustpelt.

“Are you hurt?” Firestar demanded.

The brown tabby warrior gazed up at his leader with eyes as dull as pebbles. 

“It wasn’t her fault,” he whispered. “Ferncloud did her best. But she hasn’t been eating enough to keep herself alive, let alone three kits.”

As he finished speaking, Leafpaw heard the wail break out again, echoing with enough grief for the death of a whole Clan.

“What is it?” she cried.

Dustpelt gave her a long, hopeless stare. 

“Hollykit is dead.”

Instantly, Cinderpelt whisked past Dustpelt, on her way to Ferncloud in the nursery. Firestar rested his tail-tip on the brown warrior’s shoulder, in a vain attempt to comfort him. Dustpelt briefly pushed his nose into his leader’s flame-colored fur. Leafpaw felt her throat tighten to see the two cats, who had never been friends, brought close together by their shared grief.

“What next?” Firestar meowed, lifting his head to the gray morning sky. “StarClan, what trouble will you send to ThunderClan now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mousefur: Are they over in Riverclan?
> 
> Thunderclan: No.
> 
> Creekflower: In the forest?
> 
> Thunderclan: No.
> 
> Ashfur: Well, obviously they're in Twolegplace!
> 
> Thunderclan: NO!


	25. Mothwing Cons Her Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AND WE GET SOME..........ICEFOOT AND STONEBROOK!!!

Sorreltail glared up at Hawkfrost. Twisting under his paw, she raked her claws over his leg, but days of hunger had taken the edge off her fighting skills. The warrior didn’t flinch as he cuffed her over the ear with his other forepaw.

“You’re coming with me to Leopardstar,” he snarled. “Let her decide what to do. ThunderClan have no right to ignore our borders.”

“Let her go!” Leafpaw meowed. “She’s only a couple of tail-lengths inside your border.”

Hawkfrost gave her an unfriendly stare. 

“Oh, it’s you again.”

“Yes, me again.” Leafpaw drew herself up and met Hawkfrost’s icy blue eyes, summoning all her courage. “You were glad enough that I was there when Reedpaw had his accident.” Persuasively, she added, “You owe ThunderClan a favor. Let Sorreltail go.”

Hawkfrost’s lip curled in a sneer. 

“Clans do not owe each other favors. The warrior code says we should respect boundaries, which she”—he gave Sorreltail a contemptuous flick with his tail—“clearly does not.”

Leafpaw felt her fur bristle and her muscles tense, as if her body were telling her to fight with Hawkfrost. Together she and Sorreltail had a chance of beating him. . . . But she forced herself to stay calm and not move from where she stood on the border. She could just imagine what Firestar would say if he found out she had attacked a cat from another Clan on his own territory.

It was hard to beg such an obnoxious cat, but she had to make one more effort. 

“Please—it’s not as if she was doing any harm.”

Hawkfrost’s blue eyes were chips of ice. 

“She was stealing prey.”

“She was not!” Leafpaw’s eyes flew wide. “That was a ThunderClan squirrel.”

Sorreltail, who had been lying limp under Hawkfrost’s paw, suddenly heaved herself upward. Hawkfrost let out a screech as her teeth met in his leg. For a moment they writhed together on the ground, but for all her bravery Sorreltail was no match for Hawkfrost’s size and strength. Soon she lay panting under his paws again.

“Okay, take me to Leopardstar,” she spat. “But I’ll fight you every step of the way.”

Hawkfrost looked bored. 

“Fine. You do that.”

“What is going on here?”

Desperately Leafpaw looked around, instantly recognizing the voice of her uncle. Icefoot slid out of the bushes, Stonebrook behind him. Icefoot drew his mouth into a snarl.

“Let go of Sorreltail.” he meowed coldly. He and Hawkfrost were locked in a stare-off. Stonebrook’s muscles were tense, like he was ready to spring.

Leafpaw then caught sight of a flash of gold in the reeds on the other side of the river, and a heartbeat later saw Mothwing running across the Twoleg bridge. The RiverClan apprentice bounded up the slope and halted beside her brother.

“What’s going on?”

“You can see for yourself.” Hawkfrost tapped Sorreltail with his tail. “I’ve caught a trespasser. I’m going to take her to Leopardstar.”

“She didn’t mean it,” Leafpaw pleaded, feeling more hopeful now that Mothwing and her uncles had turned up. “She was chasing a squirrel—one of ours—and she didn’t realize that she’d crossed the border.”

Well there you go,” Stonebrook meowed. “Reasonable explanation.”

Mothwing looked from her brother to Leafpaw and back again. 

“Let her go,” she meowed. “It’s not important. She didn’t catch anything. If you take her to Leopardstar you could start a war between our Clans.”

Hawkfrost fixed his cold blue stare on his sister. 

“And why is that such a bad thing? Every cat knows that ThunderClan is in trouble. This could be our chance to move in and take their territory.”

Leafpaw gasped. Was that what Hawkfrost really wanted? Icefoot let out a low growl, to low that Leafpaw almost missed it.

Mothwing returned her brother’s stare. 

“Don’t be mouse-brained,” she mewed frostily. “Remember what Leopardstar owes Firestar. He gave the Clan back to her when Tigerstar tried to take over. She’ll never go to war against him.”

“She will for a good enough reason,” Hawkfrost argued. “This isn’t about old favors; it’s about the warrior code. The borders between the Clans have to count for something!” His voice was becoming high-pitched with desperation, and he took a deep breath before growling, “And you watch your tongue, Mothwing. Remember you could be talking to the next Clan deputy.”

“What?” Leafpaw blurted out. “What about Stonefur?”

“Stonefur is a coward,” Hawkfrost snarled. “He couldn’t face what’s happening in the forest, so he ran away.”

“No cat has seen him for a whole day,” Mothwing explained to Leafpaw, her eyes wide and anxious. “Not since he went to patrol the border near Fourtrees. We don’t know what has happened to him.”

“Even if she comes back, she won’t be deputy anymore,” Hawkfrost growled. “Clan deputies can’t just go wandering off when they feel like it.” Icefoot snorted.

“I can tell you many times about when a deputy wandered off.” He raised his tail and mimicked a high voice. “Oh, no! I wandered off! It’s the end of the world!” He shot Hawkfrost a bored look. “Quite with the melodramatic tendencies won’t you?” As Hawkfrost hissed out a retort, Leafpaw’s head spun. She couldn’t believe it. Stonefur was no coward; besides, she had assumed that RiverClan wasn’t affected by what was happening to the other three Clans, because their territory was the only one the Twolegs hadn’t touched. But now Stonefur had disappeared.

How many more had gone? Had all the Clans lost cats? A chill crept bone-deep into Leafpaw; these disappearances couldn’t be related to the prophecy from StarClan. Even if the first cats had failed, StarClan wouldn’t send out more and more to a nameless fate. Somehow the Twolegs and their monsters must be responsible.

She said nothing of this to Mothwing and Hawkfrost, and to her relief Sorreltail did not tell them about the disappearance of Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap. The less RiverClan knew about ThunderClan’s affairs the better, especially if Hawkfrost was spoiling for a fight because he thought ThunderClan was weak.

Instead, it was Mothwing who cur off Hawkfrost and Icefoot’s argument.

“You know, you’re a fool, Hawkfrost,” she mewed.

Her brother bristled as Icefoot gave him a look that said;  _ See? Even your sister thinks so! _

“What do you mean?”

“If you want to bring down ThunderClan, you’re going about it the wrong way.” Stonebrook narrowed his eyes

“And you know the right way, do you?” Hawkfrost sneered.

“Yes, I do.” Mothwing’s tone was cold. Leafpaw could hardly believe what she was hearing; she suddenly felt as if she didn’t know this cat at all.

“Go on, then,  _ enlighten _ me.”

Mothwing turned her head to give her shoulder a couple of quick licks. 

“Be kind to them. Make them grateful to us. That should keep them quiet while they get weaker and weaker. Why fight and risk injuries to our Clan? Let the Twolegs do the job for us. Then we move in and take their territory.” Stonebrook let out a furious hiss that was muffled by Icefoot’s tail. The black tom was gazing thoughtfully at Mothwing.

Hawkfrost’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. 

“You could have a point,” he grunted. “Okay.” He stepped back and let Sorreltail get up. “Leave, and don’t come back.”

Sorreltail shook herself and glared at him before taking the few steps that carried her back into her own territory. Leafpaw studied her closely as she crossed the border, but apart from a couple of superficial scratches, Hawkfrost hadn’t hurt her.

“I’ll tell Firestar what you said,” she meowed to Mothwing, striving hard to keep her voice level. “He’ll take it up with Leopardstar at the next Gathering.”

Two pairs of eyes, ice blue and amber, turned their gaze on her.

“Sure, tell him,” Hawkfrost invited. “Even if he believes you, what can he do about it? Don’t you think Leopardstar will back me against a ThunderClan cat?” Icefoot let out a derisive snort.

“Firestar is no fool Hawkfrost,” he meowed. “My brother,” he let that linger for a bit. “May just surprise you.”

Sorreltail nudged Leafpaw’s shoulder. 

“Come on. Let’s go back to camp.”

Leafpaw turned away, her tail drooping. She had liked Mothwing and trusted her, and now it seemed that her friend had betrayed her. Even if Mothwing’s first loyalty was to her Clan, Leafpaw hadn’t thought that she would be so coldly calculating.

She had not gone more than a few foxlengths when she heard Mothwing calling her name in a low voice. She stopped and looked back. Mothwing was standing on the border; Hawkfrost was nowhere to be seen.

“Leafpaw!” Mothwing beckoned with her tail.

“Ignore her,” Sorreltail muttered. “Who needs friends like that?”

“Leafpaw, please . . .” Mothwing’s voice was pleading now. “Let me explain.”

Leafpaw hesitated, then took a few reluctant steps back toward the border. Sorreltail padded close beside her; Leafpaw sensed her tension and winced at the look of disgust she shot toward the RiverClan she-cat. Icefoot and Stonebrook hoved a little ways away.

“I had to say that in front of Hawkfrost,” Mothwing explained urgently. “Don’t you see? He’d never have let your friend go otherwise.”

Leafpaw felt relief flood over her. She hadn’t wanted to think badly of Mothwing, not when they shared the bond of all medicine cats.

She could see her own relief reflected in the RiverClan

cat’s eyes as Mothwing added, 

“You do believe me, don’t you? We are still friends?”

“Of course we are.” Leafpaw stepped forward to touch noses with Mothwing. She ignored a skeptical snort from Sorreltail just behind her. “Thank you.”

Behind Mothwing, at the foot of the slope, she saw Hawkfrost emerge from the shelter of a bush and lope easily across the Twoleg bridge. She shivered when she remem- bered the cruel ambition in his eyes. Surely no other cat but Tigerstar had been so greedy for power?

“Mothwing,” she murmured, unable to bear the uncertainty any longer, “who was your father? Was it Tigerstar?”

Shock flared in Mothwing’s amber eyes. For a moment she hesitated, and then replied, 

“Yes.”

As the cats padded through the forest, Leafpaw paused and anxiously asked;

“Will you tell Firestar about Tigerstar being Mothwing’s father?” Sorreltail had gone for a hunt, and hadn’t heard Mothwing’s answer to her question. Icefoot and Stonebrook exchanged amused looks.

“No, we won’t.” Stonebrook meowed. Leafpaw’s ears flicked up.

“Because we don’t need to.” Icefoot continued. Leafpaw, blinked, confused. “Firestar already knows.” Leafpaw’s mouth dropped open.

“But how?”

“Alderpaw told him.” Stonebrook meowed as they entered the camp. They said no more, lest the others overhead them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hawkfrost: *Gloating about taking over the forest*
> 
> Icefoot: *Silently planning his murder*
> 
> Mothwing: *Surprising manipulation skills*


	26. Faded Feathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And we get a little glimpse of what is happening with the journeying cats...

_ “Sharptooth!” _

_ “He’s here! He’s coming!” _

_ “Get back! All of you, hide!” “Squirrelpaw! What in StarClan’s name are you doing?” _

_ “Oh, no!” _

_ Stormfur caught a terrifying glimpse of his eyes, glaring black in the moonlight, and his lips drawn back to reveal savage, dripping fangs. Crowpaw was trapped in a crevice at floor level that was too shallow to shelter him, desperately trying to press himself against the rock and escape the vicious claws. A cry of terror escaped him. _

_ Everything was going wrong. Sharptooth had ignored the baited hare and pursued the cats instead. Within heartbeats he would have Crowpaw, and StarClan’s mission would be ruined. _

_ “Crowpaw.” “I can hear the voices clearly now, this is for me to do.” _

_ She leaped—not down, but up toward the cave roof, digging her claws into one of the narrow talons of stone with a grating noise that sent shudders along Stormfur’s spine. _

_ “No!” _

_ With a terrifying wail she plummeted down, straight at Sharptooth. The lion-cat looked up. His throaty growl changed to a scream as the spike of rock plunged into him; he fell writhing to the ground. Feathertail plummeted to the floor of the cave beside him. _

_ “Feathertail?” _

_ “Feathertail? Feathertail, are you okay?” _

_ “She’ll be fine. She’s got to be. She . . . she has a prophecy to fulfill.” _

_ “Wake up, Feathertail, please wake up.” _

_ “Silverstream?” _

_ “You’ll have to go home without me, brother, save the Clan!” _

_ “Think you have nine lives, do you?” she whispered. “I saved you once. . . . Don’t make me save you again.” _

_ “Feathertail . . . Feathertail, no! Don’t leave me.” _

_ “I’ll always be with you, I promise.” _

_ Then her eyes closed, and she did not speak again. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feathertail.......RIP.
> 
> So, saw this meme once, so.....;
> 
> Squirrelpaw: Imma do a thing!
> 
> Stormfur: Wow, you really are brave!
> 
> Feathertail: LOL, I'm dead.
> 
> Crowpaw: I have a problem?
> 
> Brambleclaw: For Starclan's sake, Squirrelpaw, DON'T DO THE THING!
> 
> Tawnypelt, now Rowanclaw: Brambleclaw, get some C H I L L ! ! !


	27. Investigation Team: Leaf, Sorrel, & Alder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost there......one more after this one.

As Leafpaw headed toward Firestar and Brackenfur, she remembered her encounter with Hawkfrost the day before. So far she had not told any cat about his plans to take over ThunderClan’s territory, and she had asked Sorreltail not to say anything either. Icefoot and Stonebrook said that Firestar was aware of Hawkfrost’s ambitions, but she still didn’t want to load more trouble onto Firestar’s shoulders, when he had so much to bear already. She knew she had to find the words, but she wanted more time to think.

Drawing closer to her father, she heard him meow to Brackenfur, 

“You could try a hunting patrol near Twolegplace. That’s about as far as you can get from the monsters.”

The anguished cry of a cat in pain interrupted him. Leafpaw spun around to see Graystripe and Mousefur stumbling out of the gorse tunnel. Graystripe looked anxious, and Mousefur was limping along on only three legs, one of her forelimbs hanging useless. Her brown fur was sticking up as if she had been in a fight, though Leafpaw could not see or scent any blood.

Firestar bounded across to her, and Leafpaw followed.

“What happened?” Firestar demanded. “Who did this?”

Mousefur was in too much pain to answer. Her teeth were gritted, and she let out a wordless moan of agony.

“Twolegs,” Graystripe spat, terror stark in his eyes. “We went too close to the monsters, and a Twoleg grabbed her.”

Firestar stared in astonishment.

“Come into the medicine den,” Leafpaw meowed before her father could delay them by asking more questions.

She padded close to the injured she-cat on the way. Mousefur’s eyes were glazed with pain; though she struggled along bravely, the effort of making it back to camp had obviously exhausted her. Leafpaw tried to help by letting her lean on her shoulder.

Behind them, Graystripe walked beside Firestar. 

“The Twolegs usually stay inside their monsters,” he meowed. “But today they were swarming all over the place—StarClan knows why. One of them yowled at Mousefur and she ran, straight into the paws of another one.”

“This is mouse-brained.” Firestar sounded utterly confused. “The Twolegs have always ignored us.”

“Not anymore,” Graystripe mewed grimly.

“At least I gave him a few scratches to remember me by,” Mousefur gasped.

Leafpaw raced ahead to alert Cinderpelt, who was sitting at the mouth of her den with her eyes raised to the sky as if she were trying to read some message from StarClan in the movement of the clouds.

“It’s Mousefur—she’s hurt!” Leafpaw gasped.

Cinderpelt leaped to her paws. 

“Oh, great StarClan!” she exclaimed. “What next?” She squeezed her eyes shut as if she could barely brace herself to carry on, but her voice was as calm as ever when she meowed, “Come and lie down here, and we’ll take a look.”

Mousefur lay down in front of the den, and Cinderpelt ran her nose along the injured leg, sniffing carefully at the shoulder. 

“It’s dislocated,” Jayfeather meowed as he settled down. “Alderpaw, come here.” the dark red apprentice obeyed and listened as Jayfeather instructed him on how to put a dislocated shoulder back into place. “Alderpaw can put it right, but it’s going to hurt. Leafpaw, fetch me some poppy seeds.”

Leafpaw obeyed, and Mousefur licked them up. As they waited a few moments for the seeds to dull the she-cat’s pain, Leafpaw listened to her father and Graystripe talking together near the mouth of the tunnel.

“I’ll have to forbid cats to go anywhere near the Twolegs,” Firestar mewed. “Soon there’ll be nowhere safe outside the camp. Already some of the cats are too scared to go out on patrol.”

“We’re not finished yet,” Graystripe retorted stubbornly. “StarClan won’t let us be destroyed.”

Firestar shook his head, eyes glazed as though he was recalling something, and stalked back down the tunnel into the main clearing. After a moment Graystripe, with a worried glance at Mousefur, followed him.

“Okay, Alderpaw,” Cinderpelt meowed. By now the brown warrior was growing sleepy, her head lolling forward onto her paws. “Let’s do it. Leafpaw, put your paws there,” she went on, pointing to Mousefur’s other foreleg. “Hold her still while Alderpaw puts her leg back. I don’t think he wants to be clawed to death. And watch carefully,” she added. “You haven’t seen this before.”

Leafpaw carefully positioned herself as her mentor had shown her, while Alderpaw took Mousefur’s injured leg firmly in his teeth, bracing one paw against her shoulder.

Then he pulled; Leafpaw heard a sharp click and Mousefur jerked, letting out a furious yowl.

“Excellent,” Cinderpelt muttered.

She examined Mousefur’s shoulder again while the she-cat lay limp and trembling. “That’s fine,” she mewed, nudging the brown she-cat to her paws. “See if you can put your weight on it.”

Mousefur tried; she staggered, more from exhaustion and the effects of the poppy seeds than from her injury, Leafpaw thought, but stayed on her paws.

“You’d better get some sleep.” Cinderpelt began guiding her to the ferns at the edge of the clearing. “I’ll check you again when you wake, but I don’t think you’ll have any more trouble.” Alderpaw gazed hopefully at Jayfeather, and the gray tabby gave a sharp nod of approval. Alderpaw’s tail curled up in pleasure as Cinderpelt glanced back at Leafpaw, meowing, “You did well there. I can manage now if you want to go and hunt.”

Leafpaw paused while her mentor settled Mousefur among the ferns. 

“Are you sure you don’t need me?”

Cinderpelt shook her head. 

“There’s nothing more to do. There’s nothing any of us can do,” she added in a lower voice. “StarClan is silent.”

Her despair appalled Leafpaw. Amid all the chaos caused by the Twolegs, she had always believed that Cinderpelt’s faith would stand firm. And worst of all, there was nothing she could say to lift her mentor’s spirits—not when Spottedleaf herself had admitted that StarClan was as powerless as the cats in the forest.

“I’m not going hunting,” she meowed firmly. “I’m going to find out what happened to our missing cats.”

Cinderpelt stared at her, puzzled. 

“What?”

“Don’t you see? If Mousefur hadn’t struggled free, the Twoleg would have taken her away. We might never have known what happened to her. That must be what happened to Cloudtail, Brightheart, and Airleap too.”

The medicine cat’s expression cleared. 

“Yes, I see that. But Leafpaw—what if you don’t come back?”

Leafpaw gazed at her, half regretting that she had told Cinderpelt her plan. What if she refused to let her go?

“This is the first clue we’ve had about the disappearances,” she meowed. “We must try to find out the truth.”

To her relief, after a moment’s hesitation, Cinderpelt nodded. 

“Very well. But be careful. And find another cat to go with you.” As Leafpaw turned to go, she added, “You’re a brave cat, Leafpaw. Remember that the Clan can’t afford to lose you.”

Leafpaw dipped her head, embarrassed by her mentor’s praise, and slipped through the ferns. Back in the main clearing, she could sense that a change had fallen over the Clan.

News of the attack on Mousefur had clearly spread; the air was full of the scent of fear and despair. Leafpaw wanted to spring up onto the Highrock and call out to her Clanmates, to make them realize that they mustn’t give up. As long as they were alive, there was still hope. But who would listen to an apprentice? And what words could she find that would make a difference?

Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind. She would go to Firestar and tell him everything she knew about the cats who had been sent away by StarClan. Even though she had no idea where they were now, or if they would ever return, the news might at least give Firestar and the rest of ThunderClan reassurance that StarClan was not indifferent to what was going on in the forest. She would tell him about Hawkfrost too, and his plans to take over ThunderClan’s territory. She was sick of secrets; it would be a relief to unburden herself after so long.

But first she would go and look for the missing cats, in case Firestar punished her for not telling him sooner by confining her to the camp. Quickly she made her way to the outside of the warriors’ den and called, 

“Sorreltail!”

Her friend peered out through the branches. 

“Leafpaw? What is it?”

Leafpaw thought back to the morning not so long ago when she had called Sorreltail out to visit WindClan. Then there had been hope; Sorreltail had been bright and lively, eager for action. Now her tortoiseshell fur looked dull, and her eyes stared blankly at Leafpaw.

“I want you to come with me,” Leafpaw began, and explained her plan to investigate the disappearances. To her relief, Sorreltail’s eyes brightened as she spoke.

“Okay,” the tortoiseshell warrior meowed. “It’s better than lying around the camp all day. Let’s go.”

She threaded her way out between the branches of the den, and both cats headed through the gorse tunnel.

Leafpaw followed Graystripe’s and Mousefur’s scents back toward the scarred section of the forest where the Twoleg monsters rampaged. She had been this way the day before, when she and Sorreltail had watched the monster uproot the tree.

“Where are you going?” a voice asked. Pausing, Leafpaw spotted Alderpaw, his amber eyes curious. Quickly, she explained what they were doing, and the dark red tom slowly nodded.

“It does make sense to take a look.” he meowed. “Mind if I come with? Jayfeather said he thought I needed some fresh air.” 

“Sure.”

Leafpaw was astonished to see how much more destruction the Twolegs had created in such a short time. The ground had been churned into mud, with monsters crouched here and there, or roaring across the ground with a horrible slow movement as if they were creeping up on prey.

There were Twoleg nests there, too, roughly made of wood rather than the hard red stone in Twolegplace. The cats crouched in the shelter of one of them, peering out at the Twolegs walking around. Leafpaw could feel Alderpaw tensed up, Sorreltail quivering, fear-scent coming off her in waves; she felt just as terrified, but there was no way she was going back now, not when she was so close to finding out what happened to Cloudtail , Brightheart, and Airleap.

“What’s that?” she murmured to Sorreltail.

She pointed with her tail at what looked like a miniature Twoleg den, made of wood and open at one end, set underneath one of the few surviving trees. It was far too small for a Twoleg to get inside.

Sorreltail shrugged. 

“Dunno. Some Twoleg thing.”

“I’m going to look.”

Warily glancing from side to side in case a Twoleg tried to grab her, Leafpaw crept across the open ground. Behind her she heard Sorreltail meow, 

“Be careful!”

As Leafpaw drew closer, she picked up the scent of food coming from the den. Though it was unfamiliar, not the fresh-kill scent she was used to, water flooded her mouth. She needed all her self-control not to dash forward and start eating. She knew that whatever it was, Twolegs must have put it there, and that meant danger.

Outside the small den, Leafpaw blinked as another scent reached her. Cat scent, familiar but very faint and stale, and at first she couldn’t figure out which cat it was. Certainly not from ThunderClan. Then she remembered, and her paws tingled with excitement. Stonefur! The RiverClan deputy had been here, as well. Alderpaw had crept up beside her, and was sniffing the ground, searching for any other scents.

Cautiously Leafpaw peered into the den. It was empty except for a white, hollow thing that held the food. Stonefur was not there now, and there was nothing to tell Leafpaw where he had gone.

The food scent was even stronger inside. Slowly, one paw at a time, Leafpaw crept into the little den. The white thing held small brown pellets like rabbit droppings, smelling strangely of food and Twolegs at the same time. Leafpaw wondered if this could be the kittypet food Firestar had told her about. Kittypets ate it without being harmed, didn’t they?

She took a mouthful, shivering as it slid into her empty belly, and wondered if there were any way she could carry some back for Frostfur and the other elders.

“Leafpaw! Get out!”

A deafening chorus of voices suddenly seemed to yowl in Leafpaw’s ears. Sorreltail’s was there, but there were many more that she did not recognize, and Spottedleaf ’s was loudest of them all.

“Alderpaw’s stuck!” That was Sorreltail. “And Leafpaw, it’s coming! The Twole-” Sorreltail’s mew was cut off.

Spinning around, she caught a glimpse of Sorreltail, staring at her in horror. To Leafpaw’s left, Alderpaw was struggling in a bramble bush, and was grabbed by a Twoleg wearing some bright colored pelts. The dark red apprentice screeched and struggled to get away, but he was shoved into a small den like….like… like the one she was in.

Then the open end of the den Leafpaw was in slammed shut, and Leafpaw was left in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorreltail, Alderpaw, and Leafpaw: *On a spy mission*
> 
> Leafpaw: *Gets trapped*
> 
> Alderpaw: *Gets stuck*
> 
> Sorreltail: *Can't do anything*
> 
> Alderpaw & Leafpaw: *Are catnapped*


	28. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AND HERE'S THE END!!!!!!! So, the next one will be call 'A Vision of Dawning Starlight'. I think I can combine Dawn and Starlight into one, if I can't, then I'll change the titles into two separate ones. Be on the lookout!
> 
> Also, this one is REALLY short.

For a few heartbeats no cat spoke. Then Squirrelpaw’s green eyes flashed with a fire that had seemed dimmed forever by Feathertail’s death.

“Highstones!” she exclaimed. “We’re almost home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Squirrelpaw: YES, I'LL BE HOOOOOOME FOR THE HOLIDAAAAAAYS! 'CAUSE NO MAAAATER HOW FAR AWAY YOU ROAM!!!!!!!!
> 
> I'm in the Christmas spirit right now!


End file.
